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Thread: Fernando Alonso to compete in 2017 Indy 500

  1. #1
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    Fernando Alonso to compete in 2017 Indy 500

    Fernando Alonso will make a stunning Indy 500 debut this year in a McLaren entry powered by Honda and run by the Andretti Autosport team.

    The shock announcement was made on Wednesday by McLaren, who will be returning to Indianaoplis for the first time in 38 years. Alonso will drive a Dallara DW12 chassis with an engine limited to IndyCar regulations. As the Indy 500 clashes with the Monaco Grand Prix the two-time world champion will sit out the iconic street race. McLaren will confirm his replacement "in due course", though it is likely to be a call-up for Jenson Button, who moved from a race seat into an ambassadorial role for this season.

    The move will see Alonso team up with former Manor driver Alexander Rossi, who won last year's 100th edition as a rookie. Alonso will fly to Indianapolis from Barcelona immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix, where he will spend two weeks practicing with the car before the race.

    The Spaniard said he is already relishing the chance of driving at the event.

    "I'm immenselyexcited that I'll be racing in this year's Indy 500, with McLaren, Honda and Andretti Autosport," he said. "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, 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."

    McLaren CEO Zak Brown said: "As an American, albeit one who fell in love with Formula 1 at a very young age, I've always regarded the Indy 500 as a fantastic motor race.

    "For that reason I'm particularly delighted to have been able to bring McLaren back to Indianapolis in my very first year as McLaren's Executive Director. Michael [Andretti] is an old friend of mine, and a man I respect enormously, and his Andretti Autosport organisation is one of the best in the business. Michael is a winner - indeed his team won the Indy 500 last year with Alexander Rossi, who will be one of Fernando's team-mates at Indy next month - and I couldn't be happier that Fernando will be making his IndyCar debut in one of Michael's cars."

    http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...-2017-indy-500
    Last edited by fmatiasii; 12th April 2017 at 13:02.
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    UNBELIEVABLE!!!!.... he is going to miss the Monaco race. Well, I rest my case about Alonso as he has future plans in IndyCar. I probably will watch it(IndyCar) just to see how he does....solely for that reason.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jgonzalesm6 View Post
    UNBELIEVABLE!!!!.... he is going to miss the Monaco race. Well, I rest my case about Alonso as he has future plans in IndyCar. I probably will watch it(IndyCar) just to see how he does....solely for that reason.
    He is going after the triple crown


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    Quote Originally Posted by Aberracus View Post
    He is going after the triple crown


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    yep, in all fairness to Alonso....GOOD FOR HIM!!!!!.....Honestly, I don't think anyone here thinks that Mc/Honda is a contender for the WCC let alone Alonso as a WDC for 2017. Mario should be a good coach for him during his "rookie" year.

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    the question is - will they be competitive enough?
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    What the....

    I guess he is planning his F1 exit strategy? He can have a reunion with JPM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jgonzalesm6 View Post
    UNBELIEVABLE!!!!.... he is going to miss the Monaco race. Well, I rest my case about Alonso as he has future plans in IndyCar. I probably will watch it(IndyCar) just to see how he does....solely for that reason.
    Monaco is the snoozefest of the year!! If he were to miss a race at all.. it should be Monaco.
    Silently, like a shadow

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    I guess thats JB off the reserve list

    https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/850008424125517825

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    This is absolutly brilliant
    Everybody happy in my opinion.
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    McLaren not ruling out further IndyCar involvement

    McLaren is not ruling out further involvement in the Verizon IndyCar Series, following the surprise announcement that double Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso would compete in the 101st Indianapolis 500 with the team.

    It will mark McLaren’s return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time in 38 years, with the Woking-based outfit set to work alongside engine supplier Honda and full-time IndyCar outfit Andretti Autosport.

    This will mean Alonso will miss the coveted Monaco Grand Prix, a race the Spaniard has won on two occasions.

    Although Alonso is only scheduled to compete in one IndyCar race this season, McLaren’s Executive Committee Principal Mansour Ojjeh has hinted that the team could well return once again in the near future.

    “The Indy 500 is the only IndyCar race we’ll be entering this year, but we may possibly repeat that in years to come and it’s just possible that we may even run a full-works McLaren IndyCar operation at some point in the future. We’ll see,” explained Ojjeh.

    McLaren made their Indianapolis 500 debut way back in 1970, securing pole position the following year before eventually winning the race in 1974 and 1975 with Johnny Rutherford.

    “Equally, we may potentially enter the Le Mans 24 Hours again some time – we won it outright in 1995 with our iconic McLaren F1 GTR – but to be clear we have absolutely no definite plans to do so at this stage,” continued Ojjeh.

    Should McLaren opt to return to Le Mans, Alonso could certainly be considered a likely candidate for the drive.

    The Spaniard is undoubtedly aiming to become only the second driver in the history of motor sport to win the Triple Crown, a feat currently only ever achieved by Graham Hill

    It includes winning the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans 24 Hours.

    source: https://www.motorsportweek.com/news/id/14305

    GEEEEEEEEEEEEjuzzz!!!!!....Mc/Honda to enter F1, IndyCar and possibly LeMans........thats monumental!!!!!

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    Alonso will win it, if the car does not break down

    On a sidenote, imagine if you were an Alonso fan and you had paid to go Monaco....pretty poor
    Forza Ferrari

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    He actually has a pretty good chance winning this thing. You must take in mind that the same team (Andretti) fitted with a 2.2-litre twin-turbo V6 Honda engine was the winner last race. However, can Alonso fully adapt to the car? I've never followed any Indy and i'm not too familiar on how different the cars are from F1. Nevertheless, this is a good way to keep Alonso happy for a while and for Honda and McLaren to do some good marketing.
    The question is who will replace Alonso for Monaco? Maybe JB? I think he is still under contract.
    Last edited by Stormy; 12th April 2017 at 22:24.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stormy View Post
    He actually has a pretty good chance winning this thing. You must take in mind that the same team (Andretti) fitted with a 2.2L Honda engine was the winner last race. However, will Alonso adapt to the car? I've never followed Indy and i'm not too familiar on F1 vs Indy.
    The question is who will replace Alonso for Monaco? Maybe JB? I think he is still under contract.
    yep....Alexander Rossi. Remember him? (HAAS)....Nobody thought for one minute, not even me, that he had a shot for the WDC in F1 (not comparing F1 to IndyCar). Says something about the Andretti Organization.

    Replacement: looks to be JB...

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    It'll be good fun for FA and I wish him the best of luck! That's a race that a Honda-powered car can possibly win and it's something interesting and different from his driving that McLaren Honda dog he doomed himself with! If he wins Honda may save some face if only indirectly and FA will get some refreshing recreation if not a win? Ovals are a BORE but he may just pull off a surprise for himself and all of us! Again I wish him well and I hope it helps him shed some frustration.

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    Well, its official, JB to replace Alonso @ Monaco

    Jenson Button set to replace Fernando Alonso for McLaren at Monaco Grand Prix

    http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/39589767

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    Honda seem to have the edge on road courses this year so far, but we'll see about ovals when we get to Phoenix.. As far as the blasé attitudes of many here, I invite you to watch a few road and oval Indycar races... as far as the racing is concerned, it doesn't get much better. We don't do high-tech like LMP1-H or F1 V6 hybrids in the US - we like the spectacle, and doing it in a cost-effective way. Let's just say Roger Penske could run his normal four-car Indycar program for three full seasons for what Force India (edit: probably Manor, now that I think about it) probably spends in one year of F1.

    As for Alonso, he will be right there on a single lap, it will be traffic management, and managing the conditions (wind, track) that he will need to adapt to.

    I also read he's attending the next road course race as a guest of Andretti at Barber (Alabama). Would be cool to have him hop in after the race is over to get acquainted.
    Last edited by Samcar222; 13th April 2017 at 15:51.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Samcar222 View Post
    Honda seem to have the edge on road courses this year so far, but we'll see about ovals when we get to Phoenix.. As far as the blasé attitudes of many here, I invite you to watch a few road and oval Indycar races... as far as the racing is concerned, it doesn't get much better. We don't do high-tech like LMP1-H or F1 V6 hybrids in the US - we like the spectacle, and doing it in a cost-effective way. Let's just say Roger Penske could run his normal four-car Indycar program for three full seasons for what Force India probably spends in one year of F1.

    As for Alonso, he will be right there on a single lap, it will be traffic management, and managing the conditions (wind, track) that he will need to adapt to.

    I also read he's attending the next road course race as a guest of Andretti at Barber (Alabama). Would be cool to have him hop in after the race is over to get acquainted.
    He will be under the wing of Andretti Motorsport....they will just slap a sticker on it "McLaren/Honda." Some interesting names have gone to Mario's "school" i.e. Kurt Busch and Alexander Rossi (HAAS F1) who won last year. His main problem, among many others, will be that he is running with 23 guys mostly running in a pack instead of 3 or 4 ahead of him or 1 or 2 (Wild Seven Renault); all doing 220mph...flat out.

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    Might actually watch this. Would be the first oval track race I have watched since Kimi did the whole NASCAR Truck thing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WS6TransAm01 View Post
    Might actually watch this. Would be the first oval track race I have watched since Kimi did the whole NASCAR Truck thing.
    you and me both as well as many others globally. Note: Nigel Mansell did the same thing and was quite successful in Indy-CART (almost same age as "El Nano" as his hometown likes to call him back in Spain).

  21. #21
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    This is awesome but also scary. I hope he's okay.. I don't think the safety of the indy cars is as good as F1 cars. :(
    I wish him the best and I'd love it if he won.

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    Quote Originally Posted by FerrariSteve View Post
    This is awesome but also scary. I hope he's okay.. I don't think the safety of the indy cars is as good as F1 cars. :(
    I wish him the best and I'd love it if he won.
    The difference is they are safe(IndyCar 500) but unlike F1, the wall is inches away or while turning feet away whilst doing 220mph flat out. There are no gravel traps, run-offs(while braking or several yards from the track on high-speed zones); in oval, you make a mistake "HELLO WALL" and your car and more than likely yourself are done (visit to the hospital) ON TOP OF your in a pack of 23 mind-sets and not around 2 or 3 (F1). F1 is dangerous but the 500 is even more so.

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    OK, Indy 500 is back on my viewing calendar!
    Go Nando!!
    Forza Ferrari !
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    Quote Originally Posted by jgonzalesm6 View Post
    F1 is dangerous but the 500 is even more so.
    When you think about it, Indy 500 is way more dangerous. Not talking about the cars but about the race itself. They are flat out in traffic all the time with the walls only inches away. A pile-up can happen pretty easily as well. Crazy stuff. I just heard Ricciardo and Hulkenberg talking about it, they said they are not considering doing an Indy race because of the danger involved. This will be the first full Indy race i'll watch and can't wait to see how FA will perform.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stormy View Post
    When you think about it, Indy 500 is way more dangerous. Not talking about the cars but about the race itself. They are flat out in traffic all the time with the walls only inches away. A pile-up can happen pretty easily as well. Crazy stuff. I just heard Ricciardo and Hulkenberg talking about it, they said they are not considering doing an Indy race because of the danger involved. This will be the first full Indy race i'll watch and can't wait to see how FA will perform.
    yup....also driving perception, meaning: driving a 100mph(160kph) on an open road(or 3 lanes wide) as opposed to driving 60mph(96kph) with trees on both sides just inches away from your car....like the wall at the 500. Plus the endurance as well....driving 500 miles flat out....its mental and physical fatigue...not that F1 does not have it but its longer in the 500.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jgonzalesm6 View Post
    Plus the endurance as well....driving 500 miles flat out....its mental and physical fatigue...not that F1 does not have it but its longer in the 500.
    I agree about the mental aspect but not sure about the physical compared to F1. I think F1 is more physically demanding because of the immense Gs experienced through corners, turn after turn, hairpin after hairpin, lap after lap. Besides, Indy drivers are not that fit compared to F1 drivers. Just look at Montoya lol.

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    Looks like Alonso is the best at making bad decisions. Rumours are he is headed back to renault next year.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stormsearcher View Post
    Looks like Alonso is the best at making bad decisions. Rumours are he is headed back to renault next year.
    Where else he could go?

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    Quote Originally Posted by stefa View Post
    Where else he could go?
    I don't see Renault having a competitive car in the next 3 years to be honest. I think he is better off in McLaren. At least they are investing a similar amount of money as Ferrari, RB and Mercedes. Besides, it would be ridiculous if McLaren starts winning and he's in Renault and they are nowhere haha.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stormy View Post
    I don't see Renault having a competitive car in the next 3 years to be honest. I think he is better off in McLaren. At least they are investing a similar amount of money as Ferrari, RB and Mercedes. Besides, it would be ridiculous if McLaren starts winning and he's in Renault and they are nowhere haha.
    Honestly I see hell freezing over than McLaren starts winning... I know never sey never.... but...

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