Alonso will 'definitely' return to the Indy 500 in the future
Fernando Alonso says he will definitely return to the Indianapolis 500 in an attempt to win the race
The McLaren Honda Andretti driver led 27 laps and was a strong contender for victory in his first Indy 500 when his Honda engine let go while running seventh with 21 laps remaining.
While Alonso says his priority is to be in a car with the potential of winning the Formula 1 world championship, he still sees Indy as a challenge still to be completed.
"Definitely, yes," said Alonso, when asked if he is hungry to return.
"Obviously, if I come back here, at least I know how everything is. It will not be the first time I do restarts, pitstops, all these kinds of things.
"So it will be an easier, let's say, adaptation. Let's see what happens in the following years.
"I need to keep pursuing this challenge, because winning the Indy 500 is not completed."
Alonso described the race, and the two-week build up to it, as a "great experience" despite the disappointment of being classified only 24th after the failure.
"I'm obviously disappointed not to finish the race because every race you compete, you want to be at the chequered flag. Today it was not possible.
"It was a great experience, the last two weeks. I came here to prove myself, to challenge myself," said Alonso.
"I know that I can be as quick as anyone in an F1 car, I didn't know if I can be as quick as anyone in an IndyCar.
"It was nice to have this competitive feeling, leading the Indy 500."
Alonso is confident that he would have been in contention for victory had the engine not failed, adding that some of his rivals were fortunate to have got ahead of him thanks to cautions.
"With a trouble-free race, Ryan [Hunter-Reay], Alexander [Rossi] and myself would be half a lap in front of everyone. That is the nature of this race.
"Even with some unlucky moments of yellow flags, we were in the mix.
"I think I had a little bit in the pocket before the engine blew up."
Previous article
Takuma Sato wins 2017 Indianapolis 500, late failure for Alonso
Next article
Fernando Alonso's Indy 500 Honda failure 'shocking' - Zak Brown
Indy500: Starting grid
IndyCar: Colton Herta takes victory at St. Pete
Barber IndyCar: Lap 1 Crash
Barber IndyCar: Palou wins at Birmingham
Why IndyCar’s longest silly-season is still far from over
OPINION: The 2021 IndyCar silly season has been one of the silliest for many years, as many talented drivers remain in play – with new pieces to the puzzle being added all the time. Here's what we know so far about who will end up where in 2022
Why IndyCar's generational shift isn't as stark as it appears
OPINION: The rise of two drivers racing only their second full-season IndyCar campaigns to head the points with four races to go has led to some observers doubting the credentials of the old guard. But they haven't faded away, there's merely a deeper talent pool that is helping to make this season one of the best in recent years
The F1 champion who became an Indy king in his second career
Emerson Fittipaldi’s decision to go racing with his brother led to him falling out of F1, but he bloomed again on the IndyCar scene. NIGEL ROEBUCK considers a career of two halves
The lasting legacy of a fallen Indycar rookie
Jeff Krosnoff was plucked out of obscurity to become a respected and highly popular professional in Japan, and then got his big break in Indycar for 1996. But a tragic accident at Toronto 25 years ago cut short a promising career and curtailed his regular team-mate Mauro Martini's passion for racing
The two key areas where Dixon needs to re-assert his authority
OPINION: Having been Chip Ganassi Racing's IndyCar focal point for the best part of a decade, Scott Dixon has been so far outgunned by new team-mate Alex Palou in 2021. After finishing behind the Spaniard at his traditional happy hunting ground at Mid-Ohio, Dixon has work to do to assume his traditional position in the team and the standings
The winners and losers of IndyCar 2021 so far
At the halfway point in the 2021 IndyCar Series season, we've had seven winners in eight races, spread between five teams – none of them Team Penske. In this unusual season, even by IndyCar standards, who’s excelling and who’s dragging their heels?
Castroneves: How I kept it under control to make Indy 500 history
Helio Castroneves’ overwhelming vivaciousness outside the cockpit belies a hardcore racer who knows how to plot his moves – and then recall it all. A day after his fourth Indy 500 win, he explained his tactics
How 'chess master' Castroneves cemented his Indy legend status
Helio Castroneves joined AJ Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears with the most Indianapolis 500 wins after edging past Alex Palou on the penultimate lap of a thrilling race that validated Michael Shank's faith in the veteran Brazilian - who is discovering that there is life after Penske after all
