Alonso, McLaren, and Indycar

[Chuckjr]

Alonso will drive in the 2017 Indy 500...will anything more come of this new gig for Fred?

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... polis_500/

[Hail22]

This seems like a push from not only Honda but also McLaren to placate and keep Fernando Alonso mentally healthy and happy as most of us on here know he's a phenomenal asset to Formula 1 so what better carrot to keep him at McLaren (although he may be at Mercedes in 2018....who knows?)

[kalinka]

I have no evidence, but my gut feeling is that Liberty Media has quite a bit of role in this in terms of making it possible, or even encouraging them.
No way Mr.E had supported such "rebellion". I see it as good sign in making F1 more transparent and open.
Also this event will have a great merchandise value for every participant. It's a win-win for all.
They can even make a tradition out of it...like every year one of F1 drivers would participate on Indy500, and one Indycar drive would replace him in Monaco F1...ok that's wishful thinking only

[Just_a_fan]

Alonso has said he would like a crack at the triple crown - win Monaco, win Indy, win Le Mans. Only ever been done once - by Graham Hill.

Likely McLaren and Honda are playing to his desires in order to keep him happy.

[Manoah2u]

If Button steps in, then VanDoorne better be sure to beat him quite profoundly. If not, and Button performs just like Alonso, and VanDoorne is a good amount below,
then VanDoorne won't do his career much good.

Pretty excited to see Alonso in the '500.
Not a bad move i think.

This year's car won't do much good anyway, even if they fix it before mid-season. WDC is out the window anyway now, so why not go for the '500 with the possibility not doing
it next year if some wonder occurs and the car is a title contender from day 1.
Also, there will be some interesting engine testing in Bahrain, and again in the upcoming tests. If the new engine is going to deliver, and be installed in Monaco, then some flaws
will be smoothed out after the Monaco weekend. At the very best, the engine will provide and boost the team right to the front of the midfield atleast. It would be great for Button
and VanDoorne, and would show Alonso a reason to atleast stay in F1. If it's another horrendous lump of metal, then i think Alonso could very well decide he's done for and steps
into LM immediately.

[Chuckjr]

I think it is a great thing for Alonso and Macca, but I feel like it is a consolation prize at the end of the day. He really is stuck. Tho this will be great for F1 exposure in America, we all know if Fred was in a competitive Merc, he would not even be considering this, and possibly it would be Hamilton considering the option.

The fact this spontaneously came up at the Chinese GP serves to show how desperate Fred is to be competitive — jumping at the first notion of a chance to be in a winning car—no blame at all, just recognition of the very sad, but real, state of the situation. What a disservice it was to the sport for all but one of the engine manufacturers to properly prepare for the engine reg changes back in 2014. This has basically kept all but two of the top drivers and all but one team completely out of championship contention for three years. In my opinion, this has left the fans with noncompetitive (empty) championships. Just my opinion, so feel free to flush twice…it’s a long way to the moderators office…

I will be glued to the TV this year for the 500 for a change, and that would most definitely not be the case if Alonso was absent from this years starting grid.

[WaikeCU]

I think it is a great thing for Alonso and Macca, but I feel like it is a consolation prize at the end of the day. He really is stuck. Tho this will be great for F1 exposure in America, we all know if Fred was in a competitive Merc, he would not even be considering this, and possibly it would be Hamilton considering the option.

The fact this spontaneously came up at the Chinese GP serves to show how desperate Fred is to be competitive — jumping at the first notion of a chance to be in a winning car—no blame at all, just recognition of the very sad, but real, state of the situation. What a disservice it was to the sport for all but one of the engine manufacturers to properly prepare for the engine reg changes back in 2014. This has basically kept all but two of the top drivers and all but one team completely out of championship contention for three years. In my opinion, this has left the fans with noncompetitive (empty) championships. Just my opinion, so feel free to flush twice…it’s a long way to the moderators office…

I will be glued to the TV this year for the 500 for a change, and that would most definitely not be the case if Alonso was absent from this years starting grid.

It's massive!

Even though it's Monaco GP that weekend, I think paddock talks will be a lot about the Indy 500, Mclaren, Honda, Alonso and the stand-in for Alonso, which probably would be Button. It will be all about them that weekend. Add to that if they would even race in a Monaco Special livery, it would be even better.

[erlik]

Marketing wise, I think it is spot on! Headlines are full of Mclaren-Indy thing. Also, during the Monaco weekend, talking point will be Mclaren Indy venue ... not so much Mclaren underperforming that Sunday. Also sponsor wise, American market importance for Honda, Mclaren ... And you have Alonso and many F1 and Indy fans happy... win-win-win-... situation. I hope everything goes well.

[Scuderia1967]

From a marketing point of view, it's pure gold.
As for the rest... says it all about the current state of affairs at McLaren, really: they'll be competing in the most famous GP of them all without their star driver: it makes as much sense as Real Madrid allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to play an NBA match instead of the Champions League final..

[cliffgamerz]

Also McLaren film will release around the same weekend so expect a New tweaked liver for the special occasion.

[Quantum]

From a marketing point of view, it's pure gold.
As for the rest... says it all about the current state of affairs at McLaren, really: they'll be competing in the most famous GP of them all without their star driver: it makes as much sense as Real Madrid allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to play an NBA match instead of the Champions League final..

Ronaldo could actually win the Champions league final, unlike a McLaren in an F1 race currently.

[Chuckjr]

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... _decision/

Hamilton does not know what it's like to start an F1 career in a back marker team as well as over half of ones career in a car that should not win, so his response is pathetically short sighted, imo. How any driver can be non supportive of what Fred is doing is beyond comprehension. How many times have we heard a driver say, "second is first loser. It's meaningless." I've met many drivers that said they throw away any trophy but first place. So why is Fred getting grief for working to be in some kind of car that can win??

[PlatinumZealot]

I dont see any Hamilton quotes in the article though? And what is so pathetic about fully commiting to all F1 races weekends as an F1 driver? I think it drivers in two different situations so Hamilton should not be judged so harshly.. He can only speak for his situation.

[wesley123]

"second is first loser. It's meaningless." I've met many drivers that said they throw away any trophy but first place. So why is Fred getting grief for working to be in some kind of car that can win??

And this quote is the exact reason why just missing a race isn't really a good idea. It requires commitment, and commitment isn't doing something else because you want to and your team isn't performing. Hot weather is coming to Europe relatively soon, so maybe he'll take a few weeks off then?

But maybe this year is the last Indy 500 ever ran, in which I can understand why he wants to compete now.

[Chuckjr]

I just don't think there's room for much criticism of Fred's behavior at this point. It's not a judgement on any of the drivers that were disparaging in their viewpoints, just that I thought it was a short perspective considering the history. Everyone is free to think what they want.

If going to Indy instead of Monaco is a reason to question his level of commitment to F1 after what he has already done to date, I don't really see how that's reasonable thinking.