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Which Drivers Stand To Gain or Lose the Most at the Indy 500?

By Asher Fair

May 29, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Overall view of the front stretch of Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
May 29, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Overall view of the front stretch of Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 23, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Fernando Alonso speaks at a press conference prior to the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Fernando Alonso speaks at a press conference prior to the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports /

Lose – Fernando Alonso

Over 2 million people around the globe tuned in to watch Fernando Alonso’s Rookie Orientation Program last Wednesday via live stream. That rough viewer estimate is a whopping 33.9% of the viewership of NASCAR’s race at Talladega last Sunday, and that was just for a one-car practice session over three and half weeks before the Indy 500 itself during which the car was not even at its absolute top speed.

People everywhere are excited that the two-time Formula One champion is taking on the challenge of driving in the Indianapolis 500. All over the world, people are watching him to see how he does and if skipping the staple of the Formula One calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix, pays off for him.

If he crashes or just simply under-performs, all of that pre-race hype that resulted from him making this decision ends up being worth hardly anything. While doing poorly in the race wouldn’t tarnish his impressive racing career in the slightest, it would certainly be a huge disappointment for him after all of the media attention he has received since making this decision. It would also be disappointing for the fans themselves who have followed this situation so closely for the past few weeks.

But…

On the other hand, if he were to win the race, this would be great for both he and the fans. However, the likelihood of that happening is small, especially since he has never driven on an oval before in his life, so he does stand to lose more than he does to gain. Will this risk pay off in the end?

Related Story: Way-Too-Early Indy 500 Driver Rankings

Which drivers do you feel stand to gain or lose the most in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to follow me on Instagram as well as Beyond the Flag on both Instagram and Twitter. Don’t forget to follow along with Beyond the Flag for the latest news, opinions, and analysis stemming from a number of different motorsports series. You don’t want to miss any of it.