Fernando Alonso has ruled out the possibility of racing full-time in IndyCar next season.
The Spaniard is keeping his options open for 2020 and has yet to confirm any plans beyond this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours, which may be his final race in the WEC.
Having recently endured a miserable second attempt at the Indianapolis 500, where organisational issues at McLaren led to Alonso failing to qualify, it has been suggested getting greater experience in IndyCar could be of benefit.
“If I do Indy, a one-off will be the approach again,” he said last week. “To do the full season at the moment is too much of a commitment in terms of races.
“If you go there you should be in contention, you are not a tourist.”
Also Read:
- McLaren keen for triple crown bid with Alonso at Le Mans
- McLaren: Alonso relationship not impacted by Indy 500 failure
As McLaren themselves slowly wind up to what will likely be a full-time IndyCar return of their own in the future, CEO Zak Brown recently suggested competing in a handful of races before Indianapolis as preparation…
“To do four or five races as preparation doesn’t make sense because Indy is the first oval of the championship,” Alonso responded.
“There are no other oval races you can do before to prepare — a one-off is enough, I think.”
The two-time Formula 1 champion also admits he is yet to decide if he will head to the Brickyard for a third try in 2020, hinting if he did it may not be with McLaren.
“I will have to see what the possibilities there are,” he said. “If I go back to Indy I will explore whatever possibilities there are and then choose the most competitive one.”