Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton says he would like to sample a MotoGP race, or the Daytona 500, off the back of Fernando Alonso’s planned Indianapolis 500 entry next month.
It was announced on Wednesday that Alonso will make his debut at the Indianapolis 500 with an Andretti-run McLaren team, powered by Honda engines.
Alonso will miss the corresponding Monaco Grand Prix as a result and triple F1 champion Hamilton says he would like to dabble in other forms of motorsport, if given the opportunity.
“I wouldn’t miss out on any of the races in Formula 1, I’d definitely continue to do all the races,” Hamilton said when asked by Motorsport Week.
“But I’d like to do MotoGP, I would like to ride a MotoGP bike, and probably a NASCAR race like the Daytona 500 maybe.”
Hamilton added that he hopes former team-mate Jenson Button will return for the Monaco Grand Prix in place of Indianapolis-bound Alonso.
Button, who stepped back from a race seat at the end of 2016, remains under contract as part of an ‘innovative three-driver strategy’ announced by McLaren last year, but a decision on Alonso’s substitute has not yet been made.
“I think it’s pretty cool he’s [Alonso] doing it, I hope Jenson comes back, I think it’d be great for the sport to have Jenson back in," Hamilton said of Button.
“I like Jenson and I think he’s still one of the best drivers, his calibre is still higher than any other driver able to take that spot for sure.”
Hamilton raced alongside Button at McLaren between 2010 and 2012, prior to the younger Briton's switch to Mercedes.
