Zak Brown has said he will “continue to bug” Fernando Alonso to return to McLaren to race the Indy 500 post his Formula 1 career.
The two-time F1 World Champion has had a tumultuous relationship with the Woking-based squad.
His first stint at McLaren, as the reigning champion, in 2007, ended disastrously and lasted only one season after defeat by rookie Lewis Hamilton.
He returned to the team in 2015, dogged by McLaren’s Honda power unit woes, and quit the sport altogether in 2018 after fiddling in the midfield.
But nowhere has the flavour of Alonso’s time with McLaren been captured as aptly as it has in the iconic British marque’s IndyCar operations across the pond.
All in all, the Spaniard has raced the iconic Indy 500 three times – being backed by McLaren on all occasions. His debut in 2017 saw him qualify fifth, leading the race for a while before bowing out with reliability issues.
In 2019, he failed to qualify for the main race and the next year he managed to finish 21st and a lap down. Despite this, Brown, who believes Alonso might hang up his racing helmet for good, at least in F1, is chasing Alonso to give the Indy 500 a fourth attempt.
“Post when Fernando stops in F1, this is his last contractual year, doesn’t mean he won’t continue, but I talk to him about it [the Indy 500] like every time I see him,” he told media.
The historic racing record Alonso can bag with McLaren
If Alonso takes Brown up on this particular offer, he would be on the cusp of becoming only the second driver, after the legendary Graham Hill, to complete the revered Triple Crown of motorsport – winning the Monaco Grand Prix, The 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indy 500.
The Aston Martin driver currently has two of these records under his belt, after winning the 2019 edition of the iconic endurance race at the Circuit de la Sarthe. He now only needs to conquer the Brickyard.
“I think we’ve got a car that can win the Indy 500. And I think he’s very capable of winning the Indy 500,” Brown added. “I thoroughly enjoyed racing with him here. He enjoyed it all but one of the years, but loved the first year. I mean, it was magic.
“I’d love to see Fernando back at the Indy 500 with us. That is something I’ll continue to bug him about.”
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