Formula 1: McLaren IndyCar plans do not rely on Fernando Alonso

Whether or not two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso switches from Formula 1 to IndyCar will reportedly not have an effect on McLaren’s decision in regard to fielding a full-time entry in IndyCar.

There has been a lot of recent speculation that two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso is in his final Formula 1 season driving for McLaren and that 18-year-old McLaren reserve driver Lando Norris will be his replacement next season.

This speculation heated up when it was revealed that McLaren blocked Scuderia Toro Rosso’s recent attempt to sign Norris to replace Brendon Hartley starting in the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Racing in Spielberg, Austria on Sunday, July 1, .

This speculation also helped to heat up more preexisting speculation about Alonso returning to the Indianapolis 500 next year and possibly even moving to IndyCar as a full-time driver.

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There have also been recent rumors about McLaren potentially fielding a full-time IndyCar entry. These rumors heated up when it was revealed that McLaren team representatives met up with a few IndyCar teams for partnership talks at the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit on the streets of Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan during the first weekend of this month.

As a result, most if not all IndyCar and Formula 1 fans believe that if McLaren do end up joining IndyCar next year and fielding a full-time entry, Alonso will be their driver, just as he was when the team partnered with Andretti Autosport in last year’s Indy 500, which was Alonso’s first career IndyCar race and first career oval race.

Alonso qualified in fifth place and finished in 24th in the race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana after leading 27 of its laps before the engine in his #29 Honda failed on lap 180 with just 21 laps to go.

However, McLaren CEO Zak Brown says that McLaren’s IndyCar plans do not rely on whether or not the 36-year-old Spaniard would be the team’s driver next year. Here is what he had to say about the matter, according to ESPN.

"“Whether we do IndyCar or not will not be driven by whether Fernando wants to do it or not. We could do it with him, if that’s what he decides. We could very much do it without him. We can’t make decisions about where we race based upon what a driver wants to do.“If he was racing with another team, that wouldn’t deter us from racing. I think what we’re talking to Fernando about is very long term. I think that’s what he’s got in mind. I think Fernando’s first choice is to stay in the McLaren family.“The ball’s in our court to ultimately decide if we’re going to do it and how we’re going to do it. We’ve got a couple of different scenarios, so I think we’re close to making a decision.”"

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If McLaren do join IndyCar on a full-time basis next year, will Fernando Alonso leave Formula 1 and be their driver? If not, who will their driver be?

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