Fernando Alonso is undoubtedly one of the most competitive men in F1. The two-time F1 world champion once tried to pursue the Triple Crown of motorsport, which is one of the most prestigious feats. However, he stopped midway as he decided to quit IndyCar despite having to win the Indy500, in order to complete his dream of achieving it. But why did Alonso leave his lifelong dream hanging?
The Triple Crown is one of the most sought-after prizes in motorsports. To get a triple crown, a driver has to win the Monaco GP in F1, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Indy500. Therefore, a lot of drivers have this in mind when they are taking part in the respective categories.
As for Alonso, if he hadn’t left Indy, he could have been the first driver since Graham Hill to achieve a triple crown. History could have been made, and he would have stood out among his fellow F1 drivers on the grid today.
However, he is unlikely to return to IndyCar and claim the Triple Crown because of the introduction of an aeroscreen in the sport.
Alonso said to the BBC as per Racer.com, “The last two attempts in Indy with the aero screen made me feel the car a little bit different. And talking with some of the colleagues there, definitely the cars are more difficult to drive. And difficult to follow each other.”
Notably, the aeroscreen was introduced in 2020 to save drivers from flying debris. It consists of a laminated polycarbonate transparent windscreen attached to a titanium frame. It affects the handling of the car as the drivers have to see through the glass, which stars like Alonso do not enjoy.
Fernando Alonso and his love for motorsports
Alonso, who has been racing in Formula 1, has 32 GP wins and two F1 world titles to his name. His fondness for motorsport knows no bounds. This often makes him try out different disciplines, something he did back in 2018 when he went to Endurance Racing and then IndyCar.
Not only that, the Spaniard has tasted success in other disciplines too. He joined endurance racing after leaving McLaren and F1 at the end of the 2018 season. That very year, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, followed by another win in 2019.
Alonso won the race twice while driving alongside Sebastian Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima while driving for Toyota. However, his Indy500 dream wasn’t fulfilled, as he failed to complete the final hurdle on his way to immortality. This killed his chance to grab the Triple Crown, at least for the time being.
Alonso’s return to F1, pinnacle of motorsport
After venturing into different disciplines in his bid to claim the Triple Crown, Fernando Alonso finally decided to return to F1 in 2021. After two underwhelming seasons with Alpine, the 42-year-old is seemingly on the ascendency once again with Aston Martin.
While Alonso is still expected to be in F1 for at least two more years, the fire within him for success outside of F1 still burns. This is because he is still thinking about bigger things, like winning the Dakar rally.
Therefore, moving on to a different discipline is already on the cards. Furthermore, his union with Red Bull star Max Verstappen is also very possible. Therefore, Alonso’s active prowess can also land him in Indy in the future. Winning the Indy500 will then help him complete his lifelong dream, winning the triple crown.
