Alonso in shock Indy 500 deal
Spaniard will skip Monaco Button poised to step in
MCLAREN’S Fernando Alonso is set to skip next month’s Monaco Grand Prix to race at the Indianapolis 500 in the US.
In a deal announced last week, the 35-year-old double world champion will enter the iconic event at the wheel of a Mclaren-branded, Honda-engined car run by top-flight US team Andretti Autosport.
The surprise move was orchestrated by new Mclaren boss Zak Brown, working with Indycar CEO Mark Miles. As well as bringing huge publicity to Mclaren, Honda and their sponsors on both sides of the Atlantic, it should also boost Alonso’s motivation in the midst of another Formula One season with an uncompetitive car.
The Spaniard said: “I’ve never raced an Indycar car before and never driven on a super-speedway, but I’m confident that I’ll get to grips with it fast. I realise I’ll be on a steep learning curve. I know how good the Andretti Autosport guys are. I’ll be proud to race with them, and I intend to mine their knowledge and expertise as much as I can.”
Alonso will fly to Indy from Barcelona immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix and begin practising at the track on 15 May. He’s said that he wants to win racing’s ‘Triple Crown’ [Monaco, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours], which has been achieved just once before, by Graham Hill.
He continued: “It’s a tough challenge, but I’m up for it. I don’t know when I’m going to race at Le Mans, but one day I intend to. I’m only 35, I’ve got plenty of time for that.”
Attention now turns to who will replace Alonso at Mclaren for the Monaco race, with Jenson Button seen as the most likely candidate. The 37-year-old is under contract to the Woking-based team as reserve driver for the season, but at the time of writing had not been confirmed for the race.
Other possibilities include long-time Mclaren test driver and Formula E regular Oliver Turvey, Honda-backed GP2 driver Nobuharu Matsushita, or even Mclaren junior driver Nyck de Vries, who recently shone in GP2 pre-season testing.
The Indianapolis 500 itself takes place on 28 May, with two weeks of practice and qualifying leading up to the event.
“Alonso is targeting racing’s ‘Triple Crown’ – Monaco, the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours”