McLaren Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso "will miss the Monaco Grand Prix in May so he can race in the Indianapolis 500," according to Andrew Benson of the BBC. The two-time world champion "has the full approval and support of McLaren and engine partner Honda," which are having a "difficult season" in F1. Alonso, 35, will race for the Honda-powered Andretti team on May 28, and the car will be branded a McLaren. McLaren is "yet to decide who will replace him in Monaco that weekend, but Jenson Button is a possibility." The '09 world champion "has retired from F1 but is contracted to McLaren as an ambassador." Alonso said that he had "long held an ambition" to win the so-called "triple crown" of Monaco, the Indy 500 and Le Mans. Only "one man has won all three in his career" -- the late Graham Hill in the '60s. The Spaniard added that he would "definitely race for McLaren for the rest of the season, dismissing speculation he could quit part way through the year because of the Honda F1 engine's poor performance" (BBC, 4/12). The PA reported McLaren Exec Dir Zak Brown, who will also be in Indianapolis instead of Monaco, "believes Alonso could be in contention for a famous victory." Brown: "Could Fernando win this year's Indy 500? Well, I wouldn't be so silly as to make any such rash prediction, but I expect him to be in the mix. Put it this way, the team he’ll be racing for won the race last year, using the same Honda engine, and he’s the best racing driver in the world. That’s quite a compelling combination" (PA, 4/12).
