Update to our breaking news story below:

Further rumour seems to be pointing toward Alonso’s move to Indycar coming true. Information has been passed onto TJ13 regarding the expected signing of Fernando Alonso to the Andretti team in the coming weeks.

During the ABC Supply 500 Indycar race at Pocano, executives of the track were heard openly talking to senior members of the Andretti team about the coming upheaval of the driver market for the Indycar series.

The reason?

Andretti Autosport are close to finalising Alonso’s deal

Further, the trackside announcers that included Indycar driver Tony Kanaan were talking about the deal as if it were done.

It is believed that Alonso will sign with a Chevy team, not a Honda team as Alonso is already signed to a contract with Toyota (WEC) which would could cause conflict with Toyota.

Andretti Autosport is a Honda team so it is unlikely he will sign with the team proper. Also, it seems that Honda doesn’t want to sponsor a McLaren branded car for obvious reasons.

So reportedly, McLaren will partner with Andretti and an established Chevy team. Harding  is the favourite (see story below). ECR is also a possibility. Penske is much less likely, and Foyt is extremely unlikely.

So while he would be signing with Andretti, it would be with a satellite team. Andretti will provide shocks, dampers, data, personal, and maybe even a driver to get them running at the front asap.

Robert Wickens serious crash at the ABC Supply 500 at Ponaco

Not only were there significant rumours about Alonso during the Indycar race last weekend, but also a stark reminder to the Spaniard about the dangers of oval racing when Robert Wickens had a huge shunt.

The race had been red-flagged after eight laps following a serious crash which launched Robert Wickens’ car into a barrier.

Robert Wickens is awake and alert and is being transported to Lehigh Valley Medical Center in Allentown. #ABCSupply500 #IndyCar

— Christopher DeHarde (@CDeHarde) August 19, 2018

This is scary how close Robert’s car was to hitting Ryan’s car… Watch the spinning car take out the camera pod at the top left. I love Indycar racing, but man everytime I attend a race or put it on, someone always gets hurt pic.twitter.com/jPc9LTmd77

— Ryan Pistana (@ryanpistana) August 19, 2018

Update 07.00am : Wickens team release an update on the medical condition

 

Alonso joins backmarker Indycar ‘B’ team: Bids for ‘Super’ Triple Crown

With the news on Tuesday that Fernando Alonso will quit F1 for 2019, speculation of his ultimate destination immediately shifted over to the states and the Indycar series.

Certainly you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out that the Spanish Samurai is most likely ending up competing in the Indycar series in some capacity. The so called Triple Crown of Motorsport demands it. In fact plans have already been put in motion to make another attempt at the Indy500 happen in 2019.

Alonso, not known to settle for mediocre – wants to do one better by pushing the boundaries of what is classed as the triple crown. A ‘super’ triple crown if you like… Being merely a winner of the Monaco Grand Prix, the Le Mans 24 hours, and the Indy 500 is not enough.

Being Champion in all three series that run those races is probably something nobody else will ever be able to emulate.

Currently Alonso is set to continue to run with Toyota for the full season in the World Endurance Championship, the next round at Silverstone is this weekend. With Toyota being the only factory team running full hybrid, it’s expected Alonso will be the FIA WEC Champion along with team mates Nakajima and Buemi.

Obviously Alonso is also an F1 world Champion, times two.

To add a third Championship, or at least a shot at it – being the Indycar Champion in the same year as becoming the FIA WEC champ and potentially winning the Indy500 race in 2019, is a target worthy for our Spanish Samurai.

To coin a capitalistic business phase that McLaren’s American boss Zak Brown no doubt has been repeatedly chanting at Alonso this year, is that of a ‘synergy‘ between McLaren and Alonso.

Alonso wants to achieve something in motorsport that’s unlikely to ever be emulated, and McLaren wants more exposure to the American market for their road car sales. Indycar is known to be a ‘white collar’ motorsport (unlike NASCAR), so perhaps a perfect vehicle for pushing their expensive supercars further into the America’s.

Edit – Thanks for the typo @optional, but perhaps @Cav is actually right, Indycar is a blue collar sport, but the perception across the pond is that it’s audience is rather more affluent than a typical NASCAR fan. Regards of demographic, having your brand advertised to the masses is a good thing, particularly in terms of an ‘aspirational brand’ like McLaren.

The first steps are in place for a full season at Indycar. Fernando Alonso will be doing his first road course test for the Honda-powered Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12 early next month.

Racer.com’s Marshal Pruett is also reporting that we need to expect more dates for road course testing to come. Barber Motorsports Park has been suggested as the venue for first Alonso’s outing says Pruett.

Further, Andretti are considering a tie up with a minnow backmarker team, the Wink Hartman-owned Harding Racing, in a bid to expand their operations, allowing Alonso and McLaren to join the series.

This Andretti ‘B’ team will have it’s own facilities, being in every way a McLaren – supported by Andretti, Indycar team fielding 2 cars.

Of course the biggest sticking point is the power plant. Honda in Japan have given McLaren the OK to run their engines in principle, but the reality is that Chevy will be powering Alonso’s Indycar in 2019. Honda US has more autonomy, but it’s understood that McLaren are not keen to have a Honda engine, particularly after Alonso’s 2017 Indy500 blowup.

Using Chevrolet power on a full-time basis, from a separate shop, is said to be the workaround that would allow Andretti Autosport to maintain peace with their main Honda supply while starting a new venture with McLaren and Chevy says Pruett.

Who will be Alonso’s team mate in the 2nd car? Colton Herta is the favourite – his father, Bryan, operates car # 98 where Andretti’s son, Marco, is now running.

The effort to reach Alonso’s dream of the ‘Super’ Triple Crown, seems to require some serious collaboration between some big names – Andretti, McLaren, Honda and Chevrolet.