Fernando Alonso, McLaren, IndyCar, Texas Motor Speedway, 2019

Alonso: Plan to start IndyCar season in May looks “optimistic”

IndyCar

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Fernando Alonso says IndyCar’s plan to begin its delayed season in May looks “optimistic”.

The McLaren driver is due to participate in this year’s Indianapolis 500, which has been postponed from its original May date to August. Other race date changes due to the pandemic have left the Detroit double header in two months’ time as the new season-opener.

“It is tough to imagine the 30th of May being the first race on the new calendar,” said Alonso in an Instagram chat. “Hopefully this is happening, but it may be a little bit optimistic.”

Alonso intended to attend the series’ event at Barber Motorsport Park, which was due to go ahead this weekend, before it was cancelled.

“My plans were initially going to the sim in Charlotte for a couple of sessions and then to Barber to watch the race there and then the Indy 500 preparations,” he said. “Now it’s not happening in May, fingers crossed in August, we will see [everyone] there.

“Now with the team, with McLaren, trying to figure out a little bit of the new calendar and the new simulation sessions that Chevy will open hopefully soon. We are in standby, it’s the same for everybody. So waiting here at home, trying to do some fitness and some exercise.”

The cancellation of the first four races has cut IndyCar’s 2020 schedule from 17 races to 13.

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Revised 2020 IndyCar calendar

Round Date Event
1 30/05/2020 Detroit (race one)
2 31/05/2020 Detroit (race two)
3 06/06/2020 Texas Motor Speedway
4 21/06/2020 Road America
5 27/06/2020 Richmond
6 04/07/2020 Indianapolis Grand Prix
7 12/07/2020 Toronto
8 18/07/2020 Iowa
9 09/08/2020 Mid-Ohio
10 23/08/2020 Indianapolis 500
11 30/08/2020 Gateway
12 13/09/2020 Portland
13 20/09/2020 Laguna Seca

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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3 comments on “Alonso: Plan to start IndyCar season in May looks “optimistic””

  1. Dont see how Indycar season will start before Aug at earliest

  2. We just hope there’s some sort of season now. The virus can’t go away soon enough. Fingers crossed for a vaccine & other treatments soon.

  3. He never touched a simulator in his years in Ferrari… is he going to be the first time?

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