Fernando Alonso Set to Retire from Formula One at the End of the Season

[EDK]

Given how utterly ****ed Mclaren's F1 team is, is it really realistic to assume that if Alonso went to Indy, it would be with a Mclaren team?

His Indy 500 campaign was McLaren, supported by Andretti. I could envision a similar scenario. I don't think they are going to build an entire infrastructure from scratch to support an IndyCar campaign.

Point being Honda cannot have their cake and eat it too. If they don't want to supply Alonso's engines, McLaren can go get them from Chevy and campaign the car with Andretti resources.

 

[baldgye]

His Indy 500 campaign was McLaren, supported by Andretti. I could envision a similar scenario. I don't think they are going to build an entire infrastructure from scratch to support an IndyCar campaign.

Point being Honda cannot have their cake and eat it too. If they don't want to supply Alonso's engines, McLaren can go get them from Chevy and campaign the car with Andretti resources.

That was only for a single race, for a whole season you think they'd do that?

I read that pre-season there was talk of Mclaren doing that, but it all got knocked on the head when the reality of their F1 car's performance came to light, and this time it wasn't Honda's fault

 

[EDK]

That was only for a single race, for a whole season you think they'd do that?

I read that pre-season there was talk of Mclaren doing that, but it all got knocked on the head when the reality of their F1 car's performance came to light, and this time it wasn't Honda's fault

I do think they would do that.

The other marketing angle I didn't even mention was McLaren. On the surface, it looks like they sell more cars in the US than in Europe. They have sportscar programs here, but how valuable would it be to have a race winning IndyCar in this market?

I think it's easy for us to get caught up in the lower level of the performance of the programs, past political hangups, etc.

In my view, Alonso is a valuable commodity for these organizations, and I think that will outweigh all other factors in the decision making.

 

[baldgye]

I do think they would do that.

The other marketing angle I didn't even mention was McLaren. On the surface, it looks like they sell more cars in the US than in Europe. They have sportscar programs here, but how valuable would it be to have a race winning IndyCar in this market?

I think it's easy for us to get caught up in the lower level of the performance of the programs, past political hangups, etc.

In my view, Alonso is a valuable commodity for these organizations, and I think that will outweigh all other factors in the decision making.

I agree Alonso is valuable to all racing series he goes onto doing, including European based series like WEC (they reorganised their whole race calendar to accommodate him!). But I'm not sure Mclaren would be venturing out with a 'team' for a year at Indy. I could see it for another one-off, but I guess that depends how Honda feel having Alonso in one of their cars, thought if he won, it would sweep away all the negativity Alonso propagated...

Personally, I'd like to see him just go and race in everything and win the lot; WEC, Indy, IMSA, NASCAR etc... he could go down in history as the only sports man to win EVERYTHING

 

[FutureF1]

Put the politics aside and look at him as a racing driver. He is the most complete driver to ever set foot in a Formula One car. Not the fastest, but the most complete. He has the ability, which I have not seen ever before, to turn any car he drives into a competitive race car. That is a once in a century talent that Formula One is set to lose.

 

[Psycho Turtle]

He ruined his career when he left Ferrari. Sad

 

[Sentry87]

He won Le Mans after he left Ferrari. There is life outside of F1 to a racing driver. He won two world championships, job done now move on in my book

 

[PzR Slim]

 

[EDK]

That's quite the story, and maybe gives some insight into that night stint he ran at Le Mans!

 

[EDK]

Missed this until now, but Mark Miles who is CEO of IndyCar says McLaren is working on an entry for next season, but he does not expect it to be fully resolved until "closer to the end of the year".

https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/138028/mclaren-plotting-alonso-indycar-move-for-2019

 

[Liquid]

Class of 2001. Only one remains.

 

[VNAF Ace]

Alonso set for IndyCar road course test
By: Marshall Pruett

Fernando Alonso is expected to test a Honda-powered Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12 early next month to gauge his interest in the 2018 IndyCar package on a road course.

RACER has learned via multiple sources that a number of road course test dates have been held for Alonso this year, and despite going unused, an outing in the days following the September 2 Portland Grand Prix is likely to go forward with the two-time Formula 1 world champion.

Barber Motorsports Park has been suggested as the venue for Alonso’s outing, which would conform to recent guidelines IndyCar has established for Alonso to test somewhere other than the remaining tracks left on the championship calendar in an effort to prevent any data he might provide from being used to the team’s benefit as Andretti’s Alexander Rossi vies for the title.

Alonso’s first introduction to the Verizon IndyCar Series came in 2017 at the Leeds, Alabama circuit, when he took part in a press conference and spoke with NBCSN’s Townsend Bell ahead of his Indy 500 debut with the Andretti-McLaren-Honda team.

The Spaniard was instantly competitive in the No. 29 Honda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and with this week’s news of his upcoming retirement from Formula 1, sampling an IndyCar for the first time on a road course with the new-for-2018 low-downforce universal aero kit would appear to be the final step in determining whether IndyCar will become his new home.

As RACER has written more than once since the Mid-Ohio IndyCar round, Andretti Autosport and Harding Racing have been exploring a union that would allow Andretti to expand its four-car program to accommodate everything from an ‘Andretti Junior Team’ to field up-and-coming drivers, to housing an Andretti-McLaren effort in a dedicated facility of its own.

Mounting rumors this week have positioned the Wink Hartman-owned Harding Racing shop that stands within view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as becoming the Andretti-McLaren base of operations in North America.

Another key factor that continues to surface is the unlikely scenario of an Andretti-McLaren effort being powered by Honda. Despite the upcoming test for Alonso in an Andretti-Honda DW12, using Chevrolet power on a full-time basis, from a separate shop, is said to be the workaround that would allow Andretti Autosport to maintain peace with Honda while starting a new venture with McLaren and Chevy.

Welcome back to our IndyCar Series, Fred!

 

[TheElbows]

Well, while I'm not overly in love with IndyCar, it's a good place for someone like Alonso to go. I'd have hoped he'd have gone sports car racing instead (much rather see him in IMSA/WEC than IndyCar). Given the general parity of the cars I will say it's one of the few series he could go to and immediately become competitive.

 

[Tired Tyres]

I think the writing was on the wall for Alonso to exit F1 after his Indy 500 run last year.

Once he wraps up his duties in WEC this year, I think it's a safe bet Alonso will end up in a full time seat in Indycar.

1. The WEC runs until Le Mans NEXT year.
2. His target would be the Indianapolis 500. He doesn't need to do Indycar to do that so why would he?

 

[baldgye]

1. The WEC runs until Le Mans NEXT year.
2. His target would be the Indianapolis 500. He doesn't need to do Indycar to do that so why would he?

I'm not sure how the calendars line up, but why wouldn't he do a full Indy season? He's said he enjoys racing, regardless of the series. He didn't need a full WEC season to do Le Mans, but he is. Alonso just loves racing, so if he got the chance to race in a full Indy season, not only would it be great preparation for winning the 500, but it would also give him more of what he loves doing.

 

[Tired Tyres]

I'm not sure how the calendars line up, but why wouldn't he do a full Indy season? He's said he enjoys racing, regardless of the series. He didn't need a full WEC season to do Le Mans, but he is. Alonso just loves racing, so if he got the chance to race in a full Indy season, not only would it be great preparation for winning the 500, but it would also give him more of what he loves doing.

He does have to do the full WEC season or he won't win the world championship. If all he wanted to do was race he'd still be doing F1.

 

[baldgye]

He does have to do the full WEC season or he won't win the world championship. If all he wanted to do was race he'd still be doing F1.

Ok, but he's been harping on about the Triple Crown, not the WEC championship... but that post doesn't really give a reason as to why he'd not do a full Indy season (assuming he could time table it)...

In F1 he has no option to race at the front, in almost every other series, he does.

 

[Liquid]

He is contracted for the full 2018-19 WEC series, not just select events.

I imagine it's WEC ongoing, at least Indy 500 next year and then he might go full-time in something else again.

He is in a position to call his own shots and bookings after next year's Le Mans.

 

[Northstar]

I like how people still act like contracts are set in stone in 2018.

 

[Robin]

Is it still mathematically possible for Alonso to win the WC if everyone ahead of him in the standings finishes outside the points and he win's every race?

Come on Fernando you can do it!

 

[baldgye]

Is it still mathematically possible for Alonso to win the WC if everyone ahead of him in the standings finishes outside the points and he win's every race?

Come on Fernando you can do it!

Yeah it is

 

[Danoff]

He was so mean to Ricky Bobby

 

[VNAF Ace]

Jean Girard currently races the #22 Chevrolet IndyCar for Team Penske.

 

[JockeP22]

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Did he steal that kid's cap?

 

[-Fred-]

His overtake on Schumacher at Suzuka in 2005 is perhaps my greatest Alonso memory. He slipstreamed past him and pretty much forced Schumacher to either give way or crash into him.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

I didn't like Alonso in his Renault days as I was supporting Michael at the time, and I thought he was a whiny brat at McLaren during his first stint. The whole Crashgate at Renault didn't help his image either. But his titanic duel with Vettel in 2012 is legendary. There is no denying his talent behind the wheel. Maybe not the fastest over a single lap, but on Sunday over a whole race, no one can maximise the whole package more than Alonso can. His racecraft is one of the very best. Barring a mechanical failure, you can be rest assured that not a single driver on the grid would have finished a car higher on Sunday. I feel like his recurrent bad team choices is a kind of karma for all his arrogance and self entitlement in his Renault/McLaren days, but I do feel sorry for him to just waste away the last few years in McLaren. As a person though he just became a lot more likable, kinda like how MSC mellowed in his Mercedes days. His radio antics are always a highlight of any boring race and you get to feel his racer passion knowing that even driving the slowest car on the grid, he will still give it absolutely 200% every corner, every lap.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if he does complete the Triple Crown. In fact, I'd wager he has a real chance of even being the first Triple Super Crown winner (F1 + WEC + Indycar WDC). For someone the calibre and passion of Alonso, the racing world is his oyster now. He's basically playing Gran Turismo in real life. What's next after triple crown? NASCAR, WRC, WTCC, Super GT, V8 Supercars, Formula E, Dakar, Pikes Peak, you name it... I'm looking forward to all those even more than I will miss him in F1.

Keep racing Alonso & thanks for all the excitement you've shared in Formula 1 👍



Now Kimi, please don't retire anytime soon. He's pretty much the only driver left from the V10 era of my childhood :'(