The Monaco Grand Prix and Indy 500 always clash, meaning there’s never really been a chance of big-name F1 drivers racing in both.
Well, now, Alonso has chosen to miss the Monaco GP and try something different by doing the Indy 500.
No, we’re not joking. He’s being replaced for Monaco by an as-yet unknown driver (maybe Jenson Button?) and will race the Indy 500 instead.
How cool is that? McLaren is entering a single, Honda-powered car in the famous oval race with the Andretti Autosport team.
Alonso will be driving that Dallara DW12, making his Indy 500 debut on the 28 May and bringing a huge F1 name to the IndyCar series.
McLaren has confirmed it’ll be his only IndyCar race in 2017 and Monaco will be the only F1 race he will miss.
But it’s a huge announcement from McLaren and Alonso, allowing him to miss the most prestigious event on the F1 calendar to go compete at another one of the ‘big three’ motorsport races.
Alonso said:
“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, and it’s of course a regret of mine that I won’t be able to race at Monaco this year.
“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 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.
“I’ve won the Monaco Grand Prix twice, and it’s one of my ambitions to win the Triple Crown [the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours], which has been achieved by only one driver in the history of motorsport: Graham Hill.
“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.”
We can’t wait to see Nando at the wheel of an IndyCar machine!
