Indy 500 gave Fernando Alonso ‘a sense of being alive’

Alonso at Indy in 2017

Competing in the 2017 Indianapolis 500 gave Fernando Alonso "a sense of being alive," he told BBC radio this weekend in Monza.

The two-time Formula One champion spoke over the weekend with the BBC, going in-depth about his decision to retire from F1 and what he learned about driving at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Speaking of the Indy 500:

"I think it’s a race that we consider one of the three biggest in motor sport," Alonso said. "The way of driving those cars, the way of anticipating the tows, the overtaking maneuvers, everything is quite different to what we have in Formula One. Going out of that comfort zone, and to start from zero, it was quite fascinating. And I liked that feeling, a feeling of being alive."

"I realized I could have different things in my life," he said.

Driving at 230 mph at Indy is like driving a car skating on ice. Former F1 driver Jean Alesi tried it and failed miserably. It takes a special talent to be fast at Indy.