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

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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