Indy 500: Fernando Alonso saga takes another unexpected turn

By Asher Fair | Feb 21, 2020

Former F1 champion and McLaren Spanish driver Fernando Alonso is seen at McLaren's garage during the first practice session at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on September 6, 2019 ahead of the Italian Formula One Grand Prix. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images) /

Andretti Autosport’s Indy 500 deal with Fernando Alonso was first reported to have fallen through due to Honda. But Michael Andretti has stated that this is not true.

A few weeks ago, IndyCar team Andretti Autosport and two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso appeared to be set to join forces for the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this May.

Alonso, who is one Indy 500 win away from becoming the second driver to win all three races of the “Triple Crown of Motorsport”, made his Indy 500 debut in the 101st running of this 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) superspeedway oval in Speedway, Indiana back in May of 2017.

The 38-year-old Spaniard made his debut in this race with Andretti Autosport through a partnership with McLaren, his Formula 1 team at the time. He drove the #29 Honda, and after qualifying in an impressive fifth place, he led 27 laps before an engine failure with 21 laps remaining relegated him to a 24th place result.

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He returned to the race in 2019, but he did so with McLaren behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered #66 car, as there had been bad blood developed between Honda and McLaren during their three-year stint in Formula 1 together from 2015 to 2017.

Alonso ended up failing to qualify for the race.

But despite the notion that Honda would still not be willing to work with Alonso in 2020, he was still in line to join Andretti Autosport as their sixth driver for this year’s Indy 500.

It appeared as though this tension was truly water under the bridge and that the rumors about them not willing to work with him were unsubstantiated; after all, he did test a Honda-powered car for the team at Barber Motorsports Park in September of 2018, nearly a year after McLaren were last powered by Honda in Formula 1.

Then Honda reportedly interfered and stopped that deal from happening anyway. Another report emerged shortly thereafter stating that the deal could still happen, but Andretti Autosport have now confirmed James Hinchcliffe as their sixth driver for this race earlier this week with sponsorship from Genesys, leaving Alonso without a ride for the time being.

All eyes immediately turned to the Chevrolet teams, but Team Penske and Ed Carpenter Racing have already ruled out fielding an additional entry for him as well.

However, now another unexpected twist has occurred in this year’s Alonso Indy 500 saga.

According to Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti, Honda did not have anything to do with the fact that this deal fell through.

Here is what he had to say, according to RACER, when discussing the matter during the press conference in which he announced that Hinchcliffe is set to join the team for the Indy 500 and at least two more races this year.

"“It didn’t happen because we couldn’t come to terms. Our contract allows us to run whomever we want but Honda isn’t to blame. Nobody is to blame. It just didn’t work out but everything turned out just fine with James and Genesys.”"

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This all leads to one question: where, if anywhere, will Fernando Alonso land for this year’s running of the Indianapolis 500? The 104th running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” is the sixth of 17 races on the 2020 IndyCar schedule, and it is set to be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 24.