Formula One: Alonso commands practice in Indianapolis
Spain`s Fernando Alonso proved he is not suffering any hangover from finishing fifth in Canada last weekend by dominating both Friday practice sessions ahead of Sunday`s U.S Grand Prix.
After comfortably topping the times in the morning Alonso was quickest again in the afternoon.
Appearing comfortable and composed the Spaniard recorded a fastest lap of 1:12.156, just over a tenth of a second faster than that of his nearest rival, McLaren teammate and current driver`s world championship leader, Lewis Hamilton.
Alonso, the defending double world driver`s champion, will not take anything for granted though, he was similarly commanding in last week`s Friday practice in Montreal but eventually had to settle for fifth place in the main event, well behind Hamilton who claimed his maiden race victory.
The Ferraris of Brazilian Felipe Massa and Finn Kimi Raikkonen finished the practice session third and fourth fastest respectively.
While the Italian team will be disappointed to once again be behind McLaren, they set a fast enough pace to suggest that McLaren will not dominate here as they did in Canada and Monaco.
German Nick Heidfeld of BMW Sauber was fifth fastest.
When the afternoon session began Alonso immediately moved to the top of the times with his first flying lap.
Early on his nearest rival was Britain`s David Coulthard of Red Bull Racing who would go on to finish sixth quickest.
Coulthard has only scored points in one race so far this season and he will surely be encouraged by the pace he showed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, albeit in a free practice session.
While quick, Alonso was not immediately able to repeat the blistering pace he had produced in the morning session and Hamilton and then Massa overtook him with faster lap times.
Hamilton pushed a little too hard in his pursuit of Massa and found himself in the gravel after making an error at turn eleven.
The British rookie was not alone in finding that particular turn difficult to negotiate. Heidfeld and Australian Red Bull Racer Mark Webber also slid off the track there.
Due to an unrelated mechanical failure Webber was then forced to end his afternoon 20 minutes early after completing just 21 laps.
With a final effort Hamilton and then immediately afterwards Alonso both managed to post quicker times than Massa, leaving the Ferrari men in an increasingly familiar position stuck behind a McLaren one-two.
Alonso does not have a good record in Indianapolis but that will change if he can reproduce the speed he showed in practice when it really counts on Sunday.
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