McLaren CEO Zak Brown says he doubts that Fernando Alonso would be interested in competing in the NTT IndyCar Series on a full-time basis.
The double Formula 1 World Champion has shown a desire in recent years to win the Indianapolis 500 as part of his bid to claim motorsport's unofficial 'Triple Crown' but has always remained distant about making a full-time commitment to the championship.
McLaren recently confirmed that it would be entering IndyCar full-time in collaboration with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, and has yet to confirm its driver line-up.
Brown feels Alonso, who piloted McLaren's infamously disastrous Indianapolis 500 entry this year, would enjoy a stay in the series given his skills, but won't pressure the Spaniard into any decision should he put an offer in front of him.
"I think he would be an outstanding talent in IndyCar," said Brown.
"I personally think, knowing him as well as I do, and his driving style, he'd be immensely successful and welcomed and would enjoy it. But Fernando is the type of individual that you put the opportunity in front of him and let him make his decision.
"So I'll be picking that up with him in about a month's time, but I would not anticipate in 2020 him having a desire to do a full season."
When asked whether Alonso could fill one of the seats at the newly formed McLaren Racing SP team for 2020, Brown made it clear all driver decisions would be a group discussion between himself and team co-owner Sam Schmidt.
"There isn't a McLaren seat and a Sam seat," he added.
"If there was, I would put myself in the car — since it's a group discussion, Sam won't go there that. So we'll make driver decisions together."
"I'll be seeing Fernando at the Italian Grand Prix. He's well aware of everything that's going on with our IndyCar activities and has been for some time. I don't think his desire to win the Indy 500 has diminished at all.
"He has not shown an interest, yet, I should say, in a full season of IndyCar. He's coming off of 20 years of lots of racing and I think he wanted to take the second half of this year off to see what he wants to do in the future."
Alonso has not made any racing plans since departing Toyota's World Endurance Championship team but has been tipped to compete at next year's Dakar Rally.
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