IndyCar: Will McLaren join the series full-time in 2019?

By Asher Fair | May 16, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: Fernando Alonso of Spain, driver of the #29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

There has recently been talk of McLaren joining IndyCar full-time in the 2019 season. Will they end up doing so after competing in last year’s Indy 500?

McLaren returned to the Indianapolis 500 last year after a 38-year absence by partnering with Andretti Autosport to field the #29 Honda for two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, who skipped the Monaco Grand Prix to race in the event. They had not competed in IndyCar since the 1979 season.

Alonso, 36, qualified in fifth place on the grid in his first career Indy 500 and IndyCar start, and he led 27 laps of the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana in what was his first career oval race before his Honda engine let go on him with just 21 laps to go.

With Alonso likely out at McLaren in Formula 1 following the conclusion of the 2018 Formula 1 season and Lando Norris having been tipped as his likely replacement, there has been talk of him not only returning to the Indy 500 in 2019 but perhaps even coming to IndyCar as a full-time driver.

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Now those full-time talks have extended beyond Alonso and to McLaren themselves. McLaren have neither confirmed nor denied these rumors.

These rumors started swirling as a result of the fact that McLaren team officials were in attendance for the IndyCar Grand Prix at the 13-turn, 2.439-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in Speedway, Indiana.

According to Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily, McLaren are exploring a potential partnership with either Andretti Autosport or Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, which are both Honda-powered teams, for the 2019 season that would result in them joining the series full-time.

Of these two teams, Andretti Autosport would appear to be the more likely option to partner with McLaren for two reasons. First of all, they partnered with McLaren to field an entry for Alonso in last year’s Indy 500.

Secondly, McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Andretti Autosport owner Michael Andretti recently bought into Virgin Australia Supercars Championship team Walkinshaw Racing to form Walkinshaw Andretti United along with Ryan Walkinshaw.

Here is what Andretti Autosport had to say about the matter, according to Motorsport.com.

"“We think McLaren would be a valuable addition to the IndyCar paddock. Our partnership for the 2017 Indy 500 proved to be successful and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them again. As for any of McLaren’s 2019 plans, that is a question best directed to McLaren.”"

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing have not yet commented about the matter.

McLaren replaced their Honda engines with Renault engines in the 2018 Formula 1 season after working with Honda in the 2015 season, the 2016 season and the 2017 season. However, that will likely not affect a potential relationship between the two parties if McLaren decide to join IndyCar full-time and partner with a Honda-powered team.

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Will McLaren end up joining IndyCar full-time in the 2019 season? If so, will Fernando Alonso be their driver or perhaps one of their drivers if they field multiple full-time entries?