Fernando Alonso fifth in Indy 500 qualifying as Scott Dixon takes pole

Fernando Alonso will start his first Indianapolis 500 from the middle of the second row of the grid after qualifying fifth for the race on 28 May.

The McLaren Formula 1 driver set an average of 231.300mph on his four-lap qualifying run, while New Zealander Scott Dixon took pole at 232.164mph.

It was an impressive performance from the two-time F1 champion - he had not driven an IndyCar until this month.

Alonso said he was "happy" but had been slightly delayed by an engine issue.

"I think the car was better than yesterday," he said. "We had an over-boost problem (with the turbocharger) in the final corner, so the engine was like hitting the brakes and I lost a bit."

The Spaniard said this cost him 0.3-0.4mph on his average, which equates to the difference between fifth and either second or third.

Alonso, whose engine needed to be changed between final practice earlier on Sunday and qualifying, added on his Instagram account: "With everything that has happened today being among the top five is a dream.

"Fifteen days ago I would never have thought about fighting for the pole. Thanks to the whole team. Now another week of learning and race next weekend."

To put Alonso's performance into context, 1992 F1 world champion Nigel Mansell qualified eighth on his debut in 1993, in what was the Englishman's fourth IndyCar race after switching to the US-based series.

Alonso's first taste of Indianapolis was in his 'rookie' test on 4 May. He is missing next weekend's Monaco Grand Prix to race at the speedway as part of his quest to win the so-called 'triple crown' of Monaco, which he has won twice, Indy and the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race.

The 35-year-old Spaniard is directly behind two former F1 drivers on the grid.

American Alexander Rossi, who had a brief career with the back-of-the-grid Caterham and Marussia teams, was third and Japan's Takuma Sato, who raced in 90 grands prix for the Jordan, BAR and Super Aguri teams, was fourth.

American Ed Carpenter takes the middle slot on the three-car front row.

Rossi won the Indy 500 from 11th on the grid last year, an illustration of the fact that qualifying positions are not of great importance in predicting race form at the so-called 'Brickyard'.

That is because the set-up of the cars is changed significantly between qualifying and race to ensure drivers can run consistently in heavy traffic during a 500-mile race that is usually punctuated by several 'caution' periods in which drivers are restricted to reduced speeds behind a pace car.

Alonso was consistently fast through the days of practice last week, whether running in qualifying or race trim.

None of the British drivers in the field were in the 'fast nine'. Ed Jones was 11th on his debut, followed by Max Chilton in 15th, Jay Howard in 20th, Jack Harvey in 27th and Pippa Mann in 28th.

Source: http://www.bbc.com

Ferrari races chariot on ‘Ben-Hur’ track

In a modern spin on “Ben-Hur,” a Ferrari took on a two-horse chariot Thursday at a dirt track near Rome.

Fabio Barone spotted the chariot a half-lap headstart and also agreed not to use the traction-control technology on his Ferrari 458, Agence France-Press reported.

He still won, by a few seconds.

The duel took place on the track built at Cinecittà World for last year’s remake of the movie “Ben-Hur.”

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com

The ambitious Lexus R CF GT3

The Lexus RC F GT3 signals an ambitious foray into the world of sports cas racing for Lexus engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi and Yukihiko Yaguchi explains how, and why has a lot to be proud of. A chief engineer at Lexus, Yaguchi is the man behind the RC F GT3, a heavily modified version of the RC F, Lexus’s new high-performance coupe.

He’s proud of the car, which will soon sit at the pinnacle of Lexus’s performance-oriented range. He’s proud that Lexus has become one of the few Japanese manufacturers to develop a vehicle compliant with the strict parameters of GT3, a grand touring motor-sport category that abides by regulations set by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the world’s governing body for auto racing events. And he’s proud that his car is being so widely acknowledged.

The RC F GT3 is the latest model in the Lexus F range, a division of cars largely associated with performance, precision and progressive technology. The range includes the widely lauded Lexus LFA, a two-seat coupe that has competed in various endurance races.

“The history of the F range actually began with the IS F in 2007,” explains Yaguchi. “Since then we’ve launched several game-changing models – both concept cars and production vehicles – but this sports car definitely represents a highlight.” When the RC F GT3 Concept was unveiled at the 2014 Geneva International Motor Show, in March, it generated a wealth of justified hype, and plenty of headlines. It made clear Lexus’s ambition to make its presence felt on the racetrack, where previously it had little bearing, and it proved Japan’s ability to manufacture, from start to finish, a world-class sports car.

“We’re now in the process of fine-tuning the vehicle,” says Yaguchi. “Once it’s done, we’ll start supplying the cars to racing teams to race in the 2015 season. GT3 cars can enter countless races around the world, including the 24-hour race at Nürburgring, in Germany, and the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) in the US. It’s great that many racing fans will get to see our product in action.”

Like the Lexus RC F, the most powerful V8 performance model the brand has yet developed, the RC F GT3 is full of engineering features aimed at extracting the best out of its 540-plus horsepower engine. The car will be an asset to any race team. Its purpose-built front fenders and front-end underbody treatment have been designed to minimize drag.

Its rear spoiler stands tall and wide to provide the car with enough downforce to improve stability (and therefore increase its speed) around bends. And “Lexus’s latest carbon fiber technology has been applied wherever appropriate,” says Yaguchi, “to keep the car’s weight to a minimum.” He continues: “With attention to detail in mind, we’ve fine-tuned everything from the car’s agility and handling response to the mechanics of its onboard devices. We have here a very serious racing car. But at the same time, drivers of all skill levels would be able to enjoy driving it on circuits around the world.”

Source: https://www.lexus-int.com