Alonso to skip Monaco GP, and race in Indy 500.

[Boorish Grobian]

Now for something completely different...
Yeesh! Didn't see this coming.
http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/139538-exclusive-alonso-to-race-2017-indy-500-with-andretti
Fax

[Lorry]

Another European rookie that thinks he can win first time out.    Probably get a better result that Monaco.

Please feel free to boo, as we all know he should have done Le Mans between Canada and Baku.

[Dirk3D_NL]

great news, i love it!

he is doing the right thing, and it induces a signal to others in f1, there is more than just corporate racing out there, as most of us know

having had the privilage and joy to have been able to visit the indy 500 twice it is worth it as a spectator and in my opinino thus for sure as a racer

for him to have the ambition to gain the triple crown as a racer, and to really open up and speak out on it, is so nice and refreshing, i welcome it

go for it!

more than 1 year please

[Boorish Grobian]

Agreed, I think its great news as well.  It hearkens back to a time when the top GP drivers regularly competed at Indy.  Jimmy Clark skipped the 1965 Monaco GP to race in the Indianapolis 500, and won!
Fax

[Canada Phil]

Agreed, I think its great news as well.  It hearkens back to a time when the top GP drivers regularly competed at Indy.  Jimmy Clark skipped the 1965 Monaco GP to race in the Indianapolis 500, and won!
Fax

Hi Fax,
          I did not know Jim Clark had skipped Monaco to WIN at one time or for a short time the Indy500 was part of the World Championship.
Phil

[Landy_Jon]

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that he is out of F1 and going for the triple.

- he has a WDC already.
- he's going for the Indy 500.
- What's the betting he moves to WEC to secure a Le Mans victory.

Getting into a topline WEC team after his GP contract expires would allow him to run the series and work up to a potential Le Mans win.  If he gets time off for good behaviour from WEC he could have a couple of tilts at the Indy 500 as I understand that there are 6 days of full practice before the race so he could, in theory, get his eye in for that as well.

What other permutations are there do you think?

[lofty]

Good call Jon and then win Moto GP. The drivers of yor must have had so much fun racing all cars and circuits not tied to tight contracts. I thought Geaham Hill had a pretty good job. Still not been bettered in LM,Indy and F1.

[Boorish Grobian]

I get the impression that this about both Alonso, and Mclaren testing the Indycar waters.  It's already been announced that Alonso's car will run in the classic Papaya Orange of their Can-Am, and Indycars of the late sixties, and seventies.  Fernando was fascinated by the Speedway when he raced there in F1, and has hinted in the past he was interested in someday racing Indycars.  I suspect he will very much enjoy the much more relaxed, laid back paddock atmosphere of Indycar.
http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/139542-mclaren-confirms-alonso-indy-500-deal
http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/139552-ojjeh-mclaren-open-to-full-time-indy-return
Fax

[mgmark]

It's not like he hasn't jumped around F1 teams in the past - IIRC - Minardi > Renault > McLaren > Renault > Ferrari > McLaren...... And he's on record that he wants to emulate Graham Hill's triple crown.

So, as McLaren F1 isn't up anywhere near the frontrunners or likely to be anytime soon, it's a logical move for him to try and let him tick that box while retaining his services at McLaren - and the tie up is probably more about Honda engines.  I think the Indy car is the series standard Dallara chassis with a Honda engine, and is the sixth car that the Andretti team were going to run with Stefan Wilson driving.

As to Le Mans, I reckon he'll doubtless have clocked what others of his ilk, e.g. Webber and Hulkenburg done there (noting he would have filled the latter's 2015 Porsche seat if Honda hadn't have blocked the deal - ironic, given H won first time out!) Rubens is there in LMP2 this year, and it's not like Alonso is long in the tooth at 35. A good catch for a team at some point in the nearish future. His McLaren F1 contract runs out at the end this season too, so maybe the Indy 500 run is a sweetener to keep him for the rest of the season, or to persuade him to extend it.

For Le Mans then I reckon 2018, perhaps McLaren, but in my mind more likely Porsche. Or, perhaps Ferrari if they return to LMP1.... Mind you, with the F1 schedule this year, if a spare seat came about at short notice, he could do the Indy 500, then LM pre-qual on 4 June, and then the race proper in the weekend between Canada and Azerbaijan.....

MG Mark

[Dave H]

Now for something completely different...
Yeesh! Didn't see this coming.
http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/139538-exclusive-alonso-to-race-2017-indy-500-with-andretti
Fax

John - I'm assuming you're coming again this year.  We'll be there from Weds night in 1A RVing all the way through Sunday night.  Will be in Turn 3 this year.
dh

[Boorish Grobian]

Hey Dave,
Actually I haven't purchased tickets yet, but probably will.  We're going over for the Indycar GP on the road course at IMS in a few weeks, and might stop by the ticket office and see what they still have available for the 500.  The Mrs will probably end up working race day, but I may end up going over with a couple of buds from here in town.
Fax

[Boorish Grobian]

Hi Dave, Matt, and the rest of the troops who made the pilgrimage to the intersection of 16th & Georgetown this year, hope everyone has a great time.  We had to give the 500 a pass this year, work commitments & all.
Stay dry in 1A! Forecast looks a bit soggy for the weekend, but here's hoping they get it in Sunday.
Say hi to the Marion County Sheriff for me
Fax