TBK-Light.com

Didn't see that coming...

I just came out of a meeting and read this. Just...wow

So the other angle on this is that the seat was going to go to Stefan Wilson, who had most of the money he needed. Miles gave him a call, and told him if he steps aside this year the parent company will fund him for 2018.

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/13954 ... fan-wilson

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Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

That pretty much confirms what we hear every year. Engine deals are still very limited, and the goal to reach 33 entries, will be as difficult as always.

Honda will surely give McLaren/Andretti a top-of-the-line engine deal for Alonso. Not just those half a month deals with probably rebuilt engines, that some of the smaller entries get. I'm not sure what was on the cards for Wilson.

Oh yeah, he'll get the same engine package that the 4 regulars will have.

Although, judging by Andretti's performance at Long Beach...maybe not the best thing?

_________________
Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

Unexpected, but great news! It's been a while someone raced in F1 and Indycar in the same season (Michael Andretti 1993? correct me if I'm wrong.). Lot's of good publicity for the Indycar for sure. Mansell racing there in 1993 as reign F1 World Champ was a good boost back in the day, at least here in Europe, so this can only be good for the series.

Fernando wants to be fighting for the win so skipping Monaco and a potential 9th or 10th finishing position at best doesn't probably mean much to him. Triple crown would indeed be a good achievement and he's in that fight against Montoya.

But although Andretti/Herta - Honda won the Indy500 last year, it was a lot down to their strategy and gamble, Chevrolet has the upper hand. This year the race is again a different beast completely. If he finishes in top10, that's a great accomplishment.

Karma is probably going to put him out of the race due engine issues while Button scores a podium.

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"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

You're wrong, Michael did zero Indycar races in 1993. I think the last driver to combine Indycar and F1 on a regular basis would be Nigel Mansell in 1994, and before that Teo Fabi in 1984, of those who had full-time rides in either series.

This is a very ballsy move by Alonso, for sure.

Last driver to "do" F1 and Indycar in the same year?

http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/sospivi01/1997/O

Great news about Alonso, just hope the car actually gets him to the end after Andretti's weekend to forget at Long Beach...

Testing at Texas live now:

http://www.indycar.com/Series/IndyCar-S ... ndo-Alonso

Car number will be #29, which fits Andretti's monopoly on the upper half of the 20s. #14 is obviously already accounted for.

_________________
Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

Dixon did a lap at 219 with Kimball's car in the Texas test, I wonder if that is scoring glitch since it's 6 mph faster than the rest...

Maybe he is that good.

That is the coolest thing I have ever heard

Awesome to see Fernando getting a chance to run the 500. Hope he does well.

Hope this opens some doors for other F1 drivers to race in some other series on non-F1 weekends (either it be IndyCar, WEC / Sportscars or NASCAR). I doubt many will get the chance from their teams though

Why is the delta force theme playing in my head when I read these news?

Just checked this out properly and realised he started 3rd! I wonder how much the Lola debacle counted against him in F1.

Alonso and Sato, reunited

I still can't quite believe it, Alonso hasn't mentioned anything about a passion for Indycar or the triple crown before.

Somehow I expect this venture to show well, run near the front but Kurt Busch style end in the wall before race end

Not that I want that to happen, I'll be rooting for him, but I don't expect him to swoop in and be able to take the field by storm as some are predicting, even Fernando Alonso is going to find the Indy 500 tough going.

What a day that'll be, trying to arrange a Monaco/Indy viewing party already

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RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley

I'm late but the Alonso thing is massive for the series after struggling for so long. Hopefully new fans that watch the 500 also watch the rest of the year too

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Follow me on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/135625678@N06/

Eh? Kurt Busch finished 6th.