Right. According to my top secret - double agent sources (Robin Miller and his ilk) Penske and Carpenter get paid to use Chevys. Everyone else pays them (leases) the Chevy engines.
Is Alonso's anti-Honda stance related to the poor results McLaren had with Honda in F1 while he was driving for them? Did someone remind him that that engine just won a Grand Prix?
Is it Alonso being anti-Honda or Honda being anti-Alonso? That's typically what it's been. I don't see Alonso running Indycar full time. I want him to, but I don't see it happening.
Honda is being anti-Alonso, they have a score to settle with him. I can't see Alonso doing the entire Indycar season but frankly he is running out of options.
Alonso is only interested by the cherry on the cake. The rest of the series is of no interest to him. I think it's the same for other drivers as well to be honest, if one compares the entry lists for various events and then the Indy 500.
William Indianapolis is where the money is--33 starters with guaranteed starting money and huge media exposure for the sponsors. No other event on the calendar comes close. That's why there are drivers who only show at Indy. Add to that the oval track only drivers(Ed Carpenter) and the road course specialists, it narrows the field for different events. There are front line drivers who run the entire series--Scott Dixon, Will Power, Alex Rossi and others. I would like to see how Alonso compares to these veterans--with a competitive team-- over an entire season.
Honda pulling the plug ? Maybe not getting third manufacturer has created a breaking point for them ?
Yes, but as we saw this year with the ill-fated Alonso McLaren effort, those whom only put a toe in the water one per year end up way behind come time to put the hammer down. Go ahead, do one race per year and see how you do there. This should have been a lesson learned from Toyota's GT-1 efforts of the late 90s where they opted to test only and forgo entire seasons to only do Le Mans. And, with no less than Martin Brundle promising the British fans a big Toyota win in 1999, they got steam rolled by BMW which had won at Sebring earlier in the year. Do one race per year at your own peril seems to me. BHW
I am not blaming Alonso or any other drivers for cherry picking the race s they like, or the type of track they prefer. That's a great choice left by Indycar, and I salute that ! I am just wondering how a driver participating in just one race like Indy can get the training, the practice and get used to racing in close combat among competitors, if he only races once a year in the 500.
More fuel on the fire in story below today. McLaren and Alonso end ties outside of simple ceremonial role. This Andretti Chevy Alonso fire perhaps got a little hotter today. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/news/f1/fernando-alonso-ends-driver-partnership-mclaren-after-indy-500-debacle
I think the Andretti team's main focus is signing Rossi. I can't see how a switch to Chevrolet from their highly successful partnership with Honda, just to so they might pick up Alonso, makes any long-term sense. Alonso, if he manages to win at Indy, would then ride off into the sunset.
Jim did in '63....no other Indy car experience. (USAC stole it from Jim tho'...) Also almost Jackie, same as Jim, no previous Indy car, 3 years later ('66).... 'Same as Jim and Jackie, Indy car rookie, Graham, 'same year ('66).....did win it....
Easy gentlemen!!! While you may enjoy the lovely sampling of such a fine product.....Panzer has first dibs!!! I do love Latin women and she is one I would turn wrenches for ! TP shakes fist at BHW !!!!
