The much-anticipated announcement of two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso did not reveal whether or not he will drive in IndyCar next year.
Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso delivered a much-anticipated announcement on Tuesday morning regarding his future.
The 37-year-old Spaniard announced that the 2018 Formula 1 season, his 17th as a driver in the sport, will be his final Formula 1 season and that he will retire when it comes to an end at the end of November with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Alonso has racked up 32 victories, 97 podium finishes and 22 pole positions in 303 starts so far in his Formula 1 career.
Ever since it was revealed in April that Alonso would likely not return to McLaren in the 2019 Formula 1 season and thus likely not return to Formula 1, there has been speculation that he would return to the Indy 500 or perhaps even join IndyCar as a full-time driver.
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So when Alonso posted a cryptic tweet a few days ago with the text “14-08” enclosed by two fireworks emojis with a movie reel countdown attached, many fans believed that his much-anticipated announcement would pertain to a future Indianapolis 500 return or a future as a full-time IndyCar driver.
However, Alonso’s announcement revealed nothing of the sort. In fact, all it did was confirm what many people believed was going to happen anyway given his frustration in Formula 1 as a result of the fact that he hasn’t been driving for a competitive team as of late.
Alonso hasn’t won a race since he won the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix, and he hasn’t finished a race on the podium since he finished in second place in the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix. In fact, he hasn’t finished a race in higher than fifth place since he returned to McLaren in the 2015 season (he also drove for the team in the 2007 season.
He really has no reason to stay in Formula 1 anymore.
But while Alonso’s announcement did not delve into either of these two topics regarding a potential future in IndyCar for him in some way shape or form, it made the picture quite clear in regard to both of them: the wait goes on.
And with that, so do the discussions and speculation about why Alonso will or won’t end up driving in the Indy 500 next year and why he will or won’t end up driving full-time in IndyCar next year.
So until another major announcement comes, bring it on.
Do you believe that Fernando Alonso will return to the Indianapolis 500 in 2019? If so, do you believe that he will do so as a full-time IndyCar driver for the first time in his career? We will just have to wait and see at this point, much like we have been doing for the last several months.