Why I'm jumping like crazy about Alonso in Indy
Thousands words had been said about that, but maybe there is space for some more.
I was on Facebook and on one group someone posted screenshot of Tweet from Honda Racing F1, that Fernando Alonso will start in Indianapolis 500. This year. First think I did was to check if this isn't fake and that's not day of fake news in Spain.
It wasn't.
Then came that news to my mind. Fernando Alonso. Will race in Indy. This year. Formula 1 driver. Will miss. Monaco Grand Prix.
Of course, F1 drivers racing in anything different, than F1 car is always surprising, but missing a race?! That is something most of us never experienced. But should be confused about Alonso in Indy?
In my opinion - no. Remember, it wasn't Alonso who asked Zak Brown to allow him to start in Indy this year. It was Brown, who asked Alonso about missing Monaco GP for Indy 500.
And just look at this season in F1 for Fernando Alonso. Disaster. You know, you have one of the greatest drivers in the world in a team, and the car is a crap for three straight years. So what can you give him to make him happy and staying for one more year?
Fernando Alonso for many years was saying, that he is chasing his third world title. And right now his chances for that, are the same big, as chances of LMP2 car winning Le Mans. You know, it's possible, but, well, you need to believe really, really hard in this.
So, if you can't give him world title, how can you make Alonso happy, knowing, that he is such desperate to be considered greatest racing driver in history? Two words - Triple Crown. Something about we nearly forgot. Winning Indy, Le Mans and Monaco would forever place Alonso on the list of the greatests, cause it's such a rare thing to get right now.
When we are talking about that deal, we need to remember not only about F1, but mostly about history. Even if he would in some magic conditions win Monaco Grand Prix this year what would that give to him? Some throwbacks later in the future. But winning Indy 500? In first start? Without any oval experience whatsoever?
And that's why I'm excited like hell about it. Alonso is going to do one of the hardest jobs ever in motorsport - jump to totally different enviroment and try to beat guys who have years of experience in Professional Turning Left For 200 Laps.
Full throtle nearly whole lap, 350+km/h, while racing with five or more other cars near to you. He will have to do a hell of a job to adapt to Indy style of driving (knowing, that in the last races only overtaking he did was when someone make mistake and he could be overtaken on a straight by any other F1 car).
But, he will get one o the best guys in the buisness to help him. Andretti Autosport and Honda are really, really strong in Indy. It's not only last year's miracle win of Alex Rossi. It's not only 2014 win for Ryan Hunter-Reay, one of the bst superspeedway drivers right now.
2013. Carlos Munoz started his second season in Indy Lights (something like F2 to F1). During Freedom 100, support race to Indianapolis 500 he lost win on last straight in one of the most memorable finishes not only in history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but in history of all racing. Two days later he raced in "adult" car. He nearly won, second on the finish, Rooke of he Year. One year later Kurt Busch tried to race 1100 miles in one day. Yes, he is one of the most experienced NASCAR drivers, so he clearly knows how to race in a pack. But he never raced in open-wheel car. At the end of the day he was 6th, Rookie of the Year.
That's why combination of Alonso and Andretti Autosport is so amazing. One of the greatest drivers in the world driving with the guys who are experts in making rookies into drivers ready to fight with drivers like Helio Castroneves, who is starting in Indy since 2001.
And why also I'm happy? Cause people will notice IndyCar. Will notice Indy 500. I know, that even if Alonso would win it, many people still will concider it as less important, than Monaco (I can even imagine, that Alonso's win would be a proof, that IndyCar drivers are weak). But, still, some of them will turn their TVs on after Monaco to see what those crazy Americans likes to watch.
Do you think F1 will not benefit? You are wrong. We all hear all the time how important is to make F1 popular in the States. Will second race help? Maybe. But Alonso in Indy? Hell yeah!
For die hard IndyCar fans he can be an example, that F1 drivers are really great, so it's worth considering watching it. Also, it's a sign of respect for american motorsport. i think people in US will like it. I found one comment from a man, who watched 1965 Indy 500 on TV. The winner was Jim Clark, F1 world champion, who also missed Monaco for Indy. And after that race he started watching Formula 1. Will that be with Alonso. I do believe.
So, instead of looking for some clues, that Alonso is right at the end of his road with McLaren and F1, instead of complaining how crazy it is to miss F1 race, let's hope, that The Greatest Spectacle In Racing will be this year even greater.
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Comments (6)
Graham Hill won the unoffical triple crown, Monaco, Indy 500 and Le Man 24 hour race all within a space of 10 years and he competed against the greats of his era like Jim Clark and Sir Jackie Stewart.
that was a regular thing in that era, drivers doing crossover races like Indy 500 and Le Man 24 hour race i get the feeling Dario Franchetti would love to have raced in F1 and Le Man as well as Indy Car not many if any major crossover angle done anymore.
He may do very well there. Many F1 drivers did. But I can't remember any driver coming from there and doing really great in F1. Jacques Villeneuve and J.P. Montoya were mid-level drivers. Michael Andretti was a shameful bust.
As my dad usually says, Indy is the trash bin of F1.
They did great in Indy, and were never above mid level in F1 in spite of being hired by big teams and driving the best cars then. Villeneuve managed to be champion in 97, but he always was a dim shadow of his father. Actually he was just average all...
Read moreYou don't have to be "a great" to be above average!