More than the Triple Crown, what Fernando Alonso is looking for this Sunday (20.30, Come on) is a triple somersault with a pirouette. The Spaniard faces his second participation in the Indianapolis 500 after failing to qualify for the race last year - "this time it will be different because in 2019 we were not sufficiently prepared," he says - and breaking the car with 21 laps to go. his debut (2017), while fighting to win. That time, the Honda engine of his car left him stranded, as it was happening at the time aboard his McLaren Formula 1.
Three years have passed and it seems like an eternity. The Asturian has had time to retire and return to the World Championship next season with Renault. The team has told him to forget about the ovals while his contract is in force, that his commitment must be total with F1, at least until the end of 2022. At 39, Alonso will return to form on the 500 grid Miles and who knows if this will be his last chance to put himself on the same level as Graham Hill, the only one who has achieved the goal that the Spaniard pursues: winning in Monaco, Le Mans and Indianapolis.
On paper, the matter looks bad if we take into account that the Arrow McLaren with a Chevrolet engine, number 66, will be in 26th position on the grid, much further back than in 2017 - fifth - and that the young Catalan Alex Palou, A 23-year-old rookie has taken much of the spotlight. “Coming out so far back makes the challenge even bigger. But I like challenges. We have to trust our rhythm, strategy and luck ”, summarized Alonso.
The dominance of Honda engines is evident: of the first 12, 11 are equipped with a Japanese engine, for only one, that of Rinus VeeKay - the fourth will come out - from Chevrolet. In F1, the starting position of the two-time world champion of 2005 and 2006 would have doomed him. However, in the 103 editions of the 500 Miles , only in 21 has the occupant of pole position toasted with milk - as tradition indicates - .
Difficulty going back
The Alonso prototype has not been the fastest, although it is not as elementary a determining factor as in F1. In Indianapolis there are other factors, such as the spotter's eye , which is located in a high position on the circuit and informs the driver in real time of the situation and who is around him. Exiting so far back - 33 cars are competing - involves a high risk because of being stuck in traffic, with possible friction. The fact that the cars are mostly the same adds to the difficulty of the comebacks and puts pressure on the strategists, who must devise a plan to maintain a steady pace without destroying the tires or wasting a lot of fuel.
Alonso's contest to date has been erratic. It was the fifth fastest on the first day of rehearsal before ending the second day stamped against the wall. That conditioned his timing. Of the three racing cars of the Arrow McLaren SP team, his is the one that will be the most delayed. Patricio Pato O'Ward is 15th and Oliver Askew, 21st. “It takes three months to build a car for the 500 Miles. The accident left his entire right side shattered. That's why we went from being the fastest of the team to the slowest, ”said Craig Hampson, track engineer for the Asturian, who due to the limitations caused by the coronavirus, was confident of having 90% of the spare parts on Friday, last training.
