On the back of a disappointing start to the 2017 Formula One season, Fernando Alonso will be skipping the Monaco Grand Prix to participate in the Indianapolis 500. This will be the Spaniard’s first time racing at an oval circuit and his first time in the Indy500.
McLaren-Honda’s best chance to score a decent finish in 2017 is going to be in Monaco, but Alonso will not be behind the wheel. The Monaco Grand Prix is often considered to be one of the most prestigious races in the world, but Alonso will be heading to another one of the most prestigious events: the Indianapolis 500.
With help from the McLaren-Honda Formula One team, a car will be fielded by Andretti Autosport team and run an orange McLaren livery. The car is powered by a Honda engine, which has led some to believe that the entry is an attempt to show that Honda is performing well outside of Formula One. Others believe that Alonso may be trying to cement a position in another sport for after he retires.
Fernando Alonso is looking forward to the opportunity to explore the world outside of Formula One:
“I’m immensely excited that I’ll be racing in this year’s Indy 500, with McLaren, Honda and Andretti Autosport.
The Indy 500 is one of the most famous races on the global motorsport calendar, rivalled only by the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Monaco Grand Prix [which Fernando has won twice, one of those victories at the wheel of a McLaren (in 2007)], and it’s of course a regret of mine that I won’t be able to race at Monaco this year. But Monaco will be the only 2017 Grand Prix I’ll be missing, and I’ll be back in the cockpit of the McLaren-Honda MCL32 for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in early June.
I’ve never raced an IndyCar car before, and neither have I ever driven on a super-speedway, but I’m confident that I’ll get to grips with it fast. I’ve watched a lot of IndyCar action on TV and online, and it’s clear that great precision is required to race in close proximity with other cars on the far side of 220mph [354km/h]. I realise I’ll be on a steep learning curve, but I’ll be flying to Indianapolis from Barcelona immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix, practising our McLaren-Honda-Andretti car at Indy from May 15th onwards, hopefully clocking up a large number of miles every day, and 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 for as much info as I possibly can.”
The Indy500 is one of the three events in the Triple Crown of Motorsport and win would put him one step closer to earning what is considered to be the greatest career accomplishments in motorsport. Alonso has already won the Monaco Grand Prix, so the win would make him even with Juan Pablo Montoya, who is the only active driver to have won two of the events. Graham Hill is the only driver in history to have completed the Triple Crown.
“I’ve won the Monaco Grand Prix twice, and it’s one of my ambitions to win the Triple Crown, which has been achieved by only one driver in the history of motorsport: Graham Hill,” admitted Alonso. “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.”
Alexander Rossi driving his Andretti Autosport car at the 2017 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
A win at the Indy500 would also make him the second rookie in history to win the event, after Alexander Rossi. Rossi left Formula One to pursue an IndyCar career last year. He won the Indy500 event that same year, which is still his only race win in the series.
The team has confirmed that Alonso will not be participating in any other IndyCar events this year. However, the Spaniard will have plenty of time to learn the new cars, with practice for the Indy500 beginning on the Monday following his home Grand Prix and lasting until Monday the following week.
McLaren has yet to confirm Alonso’s replacement for the Monaco Grand Prix, although the recently retired Jenson Button is expected to take the seat. Despite retiring from driving at the end of last season, Button still holds the position as the team’s reserve driver.
