• Fernando Alonso.Why again McLaren?

The 300,000 fans that crowd the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each year can continue to keep on their agenda on August 23, the scheduled date for the 104th edition of the Indianapolis 500 Miles. "We will only run with fans in the stands," said Roger Penske , great Indycar factotum and owner of the legendary Brickyard , the circuit where Fernando Alonso aspires to round out the Triple Crown of the Motor.

"We continue with the plan to run in August with people in the stands. There are still three months and we have good feelings," said Penske, 83, shortly before the dispute of the first race of the Indycar championship, played on Saturday on goal closed at the Texas Motor Speedway in Forth Worth. The empty stands, however, did not cloud the optimism of the organizers, more than satisfied by television audiences, the best in five years for an event other than the 500 Miles.

Penske's usual endeavor, known as El Capitan for his overwhelming leadership, seems to pay off. In fact, his initial plan was to allow access to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 4-5 for the IndyCar and Nascar double date. However, he eventually opted for the more conservative option. "We did not want to do anything that would harm the 500 Miles, so we decided not to rush," he admitted.

Almost 117,000 dead

"I think people are going to like what they are going to be able to see," said the 83-year-old veteran leader of the Indy, who also saves himself the option of a new date if he fails to rush the deadlines. The American specialized press, with RACER magazine at the forefront, points a little further. Until October 11 or 18, specifically. In any case, the momentum of Penske seems like great news for Alonso, who has not competed since January in the Dakar Rally.

In principle, the double Formula 1 world champion had set his schedule on May 24 to play the 500 Miles with the Arrow McLaren SP team. However, the cancellation at the end of March due to the Covid-19 pandemic frustrated his plans, which in recent weeks have been reduced to virtual races, where he has five consecutive victories.

On Saturday, his two young garage mates performed well in the Texas oval. Rookie Oliver Askew finished ninth, while Mexico's Patricio O'Ward , 21, was penalized for an error during a pit stop and only finished twelfth.

Almost 117,000 dead

After his bitter 2019 experience, when he couldn't even take the start, Alonso now has options to fight the favorites. The McLaren reinforcements, which will be staffed by experienced Schmidt-Peterson team personnel, must first be tested in training and qualifying, where the presence of fans must also be tested.

And it is that the effort of Penske, which works in coordination with the Indiana authorities, acquires its true relevance in the current context of American sport. From the NBA to the NFL, through the NHL or the MLS, all the major leagues have had to resign themselves behind closed doors. Likewise, the US Open of tennis, organized in New York, poses some important restrictions. According to the latest official update, the country chaired by Donald Trump registers 1,946,555 positive cases of Covid-19, with 116,933 deaths.

In accordance with the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Fernando Alonso
  • Dakar Rally
  • sports

Formula 1 2020Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz: family friendship, advice, influence and a route traced by the 'paddock'

Formula 1 2020Carlos Sainz - Ferrari, the intrahistory of an agreement that seems imminent

Formula 1 2020Zak Brown: "If I were in Renault, I would put Fernando Alonso in the car"

Close links of interest

  • Last minute
  • Spanish traslator
  • Programming
  • 2020 calendar
  • Horoscope today
  • League classification
  • Santander League Calendar
  • Movies today
  • Schools concerted
  • Masters 2019
  • Cutting notes
  • Rich from Spain
  • Universities Spain
  • Themes
  • Coronavirus
  • Rio Ave - Paços de Ferreira