14 augustus 2020 – Alonso was looking for new challenges at the end of his F1 career with McLaren and competed with the team in the 2017 Indianapolis 500. Because the F1 team was so uncompetitive in Formula 1 at the time, Alonso was given by team principal Zak Brown even the permission to drop the Monaco Grand Prix for that, because the races have usually been held on the same day in recent years.
In 2021 this will exceptionally not be the case and the Monaco Grand Prix will take place a week before the Indy 500, but nevertheless we will not see Alonso make the crossing. In his agreement with Renault for a return to F1, it was made clear that Renault expects the Spaniard to focus 100 percent on F1. “I know I will not be there for the next two years,” said Alonso.
Team boss Abiteboul confirmed that Friday in Barcelona, but of course his new star has to get through the 2020 edition first. On Thursday evening, Alonso was the first rider to go into the wall during practice this year. Alonso went a bit too far over the concrete edge of turn four and touched the outside wall. However, the damage was not too bad and his team Arrow McLaren SP was able to repair the car for Fast Friday, the last training day before qualifying, where the turbo boost of qualifying is already being driven and the speeds are thus increasing. The qualification itself will follow this weekend, the race itself will be held next Sunday.
“It’s very simple,” said Abiteboul. “The answer is that I can barely breathe until next week, until he gets out of his car in Indianapolis. But I can say very clearly that once with us, that’s final. There will be no distractions.”
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