Fernando Alonso Wins Best Rookie Award at the Thrilling Indy 500

Fernando Alonso looked just right at home driving around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the historic 101 edition of Indy 500 but was met with a Honda engine failure with just twenty-one laps to go on the other side of the world. The Spaniard led twenty-seven laps of his “rookie” year at the Brickyard and was in contention for a top ten result.

But his engine failure, which was the third of the race for Honda after Ryan Hunter-Reay and Charlie Kimball, ended his high hopes. Alonso entered Indianapolis with McLaren Honda Andretti team wanting to prove to himself if he could match the best of the Verizon IndyCar Series drivers and he did that with ease.

Taking nothing away from Sato’s brilliant run to the finish line, it was a champion’s drive from Nando all week. Every time the orange car tucked in the slipstream to make an overtake for the lead, my chilling and defining moments of the 101 Indy race were written.

Unless the engine failure heartbreak, it would have been a perfect harmony at the Brickyard. He won the respect of both the racing worlds if not the famous race itself!