Indy 500: Fernando Alonso qualifies on the second row at the Brickyard

Fernando Alonso will line up fifth for next week's Indy 500 after an impressive qualifying performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The F1 star, making his IndyCar debut, came through the first qualifying session on Saturday to claim a spot in Sunday's 'Fast Nine' shootout for pole.

And in today's session the pole was, for a time, his. But four of the drivers then went out and bettered his time, meaning he will start next Sunday's race from the second row.

Alonso said afterwards that he could have gone even quicker but a slight technical issue slowed him down.

'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.'

A superb pole was eventually taken by New Zealander Scott Dixon - who won this race in 2008 from pole.

Ed Carpenter will start second, followed by last year's winner Alexander Rossi, then former F1 driver Takuma Sato in fourth.

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