Fernando Alonso’s time at McLaren in System 1 didn’t precisely go to plan, however he did discover nice enjoyment with them in one other class.
The Spaniard joined the Woking outfit in 2007 after profitable his two championships back-to-back with Renault. He purchased into McLaren’s masterplan to return to the entrance of the grid, and he anticipated to be the one to ship that success.
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The issue was that the workforce employed a then-rookie Lewis Hamilton as his teammate, and he fought Alonso all through the season. The intra-team battle sparked large controversy, because the Spaniard accused McLaren of favouring the younger Brit.
Lacking out on the title by one level, Alonso left McLaren and returned to Renault in 2008. After a stint at Ferrari, lacking out on the title twice in 2010 and 2012, he got here again to McLaren in 2015, and would spend 4 years in underperforming equipment.
The workforce’s Honda engines have been desperately underwhelming, with Alonso lagging in direction of the again of the grid. He even referred to them as a ‘GP2 engine’ as he couldn’t extract any efficiency by any means.
Alonso briefly give up F1 on the finish of the 2018 season as he struggled to combat in direction of the entrance with McLaren. However there was one silver lining from his second stint in Woking, as he bought the prospect to carry out on one of many world’s largest phases.
Photograph by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photographs
Zak Brown needs to work with Fernando Alonso on the Indy 500 once more with McLaren
In 2017, Alonso ditched the Monaco GP to run within the Indianapolis 500 with McLaren. Qualifying an unbelievable P5, he was main the race at one level earlier than an engine failure took him out of the race.
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The 2-time F1 champion returned to Indianapolis two extra instances in 2019 and 2020. Failing to qualify in his second try, he might solely handle twenty first in his third go on the occasion.
With Alonso out of contract with Aston Martin on the finish of the 2026 season, there’s large hypothesis about what he’ll do subsequent. McLaren CEO Zak Brown needs to see the Spaniard again in his IndyCar workforce competing within the Indy 500.
Brown will use IndyCar veteran Ryan Hunter-Reay within the 2026 version of the race, however talking through journalist , he revealed that he has spoken to Alonso about working the occasion once more.
“Yeah, so beginning with Ryan, very completely happy to have Ryan within the automobile this yr,” he mentioned. “I feel he’s undoubtedly able to profitable the Indy 500. So, I feel our odds have gone up by placing Ryan within the automobile.
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“However, publish that and publish when Fernando stops in F1. That is his final contractual yr, doesn’t imply he gained’t proceed.
“However I discuss to him about it like each time I see him, and I feel we’ve bought a automobile that may win the Indy 500. I feel he’s very succesful [of] profitable the Indy 500, totally loved racing with him right here. He loved it, all however one of many years!
“However cherished the primary yr. I imply, it was magic and I’d like to see Fernando again on the Indy 500 with us and that’s one thing I’ll proceed to bug him about.”
