Two-time world champ still has his eyes set on the Triple Crown after F1
Whatever your thoughts of Fernando Alonso, few would disagree that this is a racing driver who has not yet met his full potential. Not even two world titles, 32 wins and 97 podiums in Formula 1 do the immensely talented 37-year-old Spaniard justice. He knows this only too well, and has set his sights on motorsport’s Triple Crown as a way of sealing his legacy – and this weekend he confirmed that he’ll competing in his second Indy 500 next year.
Only Graham Hill has won the trio of events – the Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and Le Mans – required to earn Triple Crown title. But Alonso’s not far off, having moved has tally to two out of three this year by adding a first place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to his wins in Monaco (in 2006 and 2007). He came close to winning at Indy for McLaren last year too, but of course that Honda engine failure took him out of the running.
Alonso’s a wise old head though, so rather than jumping ship and looking for a big change on his second attempt, he’s embarking on Indy round two from the familiar surroundings of McLaren. With such an impressive race debut last year and, well, because he’s Fernando Alonso, he probably had a list of opportunities presented to him for the event. But the soon-to-retire F1 driver said Woking’s squad was always his preference.
“I’m especially glad to be returning with McLaren. This was always my first choice if the team decided to do it, so I’m delighted they’ve decided to go ahead,” he said. “It’s a tough race and we’ll be up against the best, so it will be a huge challenge. But we’re racers and that’s why we race.”
Will 2019 be the year Alonso becomes only the second driver ever to win the Triple Crown? You’d be mad to bet against it. Let us not forget that in 2017, with very limited oval experience, Alonso – then a rookie in Indy’s books – led for much of his race and came so close to beating teammates Alexander Rossi and eventual winner Takuma Sato on his first ever go at the Brickyard. All he needs for his second attempt is a reliable car.
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