"It will be too much": When Fernando Alonso addressed his chances of attempting another Indy 500

Fernando Alonso's experiences at the Indy 500 have been subpar. In three attempts at winning the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the two-time F1 champ always emerged disappointed. At a Cognizant event in October this year, he ruled out another attempt at the Indy 500 anytime soon.

For the unversed, the Triple Crown of motorsport is an unofficial achievement earned by drivers who win the following races - the Indy 500, F1's Monaco Grand Prix, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Graham Hill is the only driver in racing history to have completed this. Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, has conquered the latter two with two Monaco GP wins in 2006 and 2007, and consecutive victories in Le Mans with Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2018 and 2019 in the LMP1 class. The Indy 500 is the only unchecked box on this list.

In his debut at the iconic race in 2017, Alonso led 27 laps of the race, but an engine failure on his Andretti Autosport Honda forced the then-McLaren driver to retire. His second attempt in 2019 was worse, as the Spaniard's McLaren failed to even qualify for the race. In 2020, when Alonso returned to Indianapolis for the third time, he started in P26 and finished in P21.

Discussing the chances of him attempting the Indy 500 in the near future, Alonso said (via Speedcafe):

"I attempted the Indy 500 three times and didn’t succeed. It’s the only one missing (to win the Triple Crown), but at the moment, it’s not in my plan. I’m very, very focused in Formula 1 now for the next two or three years. I want to win the third world title. This is my first and only priority at the moment. After that, because I will be 45, 46, I think the commitment that it will require to do the Indy 500, the amount of learning that I will have to redo again, it will be a little bit too much. That’s what I think now."

Though he didn't rule out the possibility entirely, the Spaniard wanted to attend to other aspects of his life.

"I cannot say 100 percent, but it will be too much, and as I said other goals in life as well."

As the Aston Martin driver gets older, his chances of achieving the Triple Crown dream fade as the 43-year-old nears his retirement.

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Fernando Alonso labeled the Indy 500 "the craziest race of the world"

Fernando Alonso at the Indianapolis 500 in 2017 - Source: Getty

Fernando Alonso shared a bittersweet relationship with the Indy 500. Though he wanted to prove himself as a driver versatile enough to excel in different categories, the Spaniard never shied away from highlighting the dangers of racing in the Brickyard at over 230 mph. After all, he witnessed multiple crashes during his two attempts, including Scott Dixon's terrifying aerial accident in 2017 and Spencer Pigot's shunt in 2020.

Though finishing the iconic race in 2020 was one of the biggest experiences of his career, he labeled it the "craziest race of the world."

"This is the craziest race of the world. We finished the race without the clutch, so from that point on every pit stop we had to push the car, engage the gear and go," Alonso told Sky Sports after the race.

In 2023, Alonso reiterated his point, explaining why he wouldn't want to return to the ovals. He said, (via Autoweek):

"I didn't really want to return to Indy because of the risk of the oval and the speeds."

Fernando Alonso's current F1 contract with Aston Martin runs till the end of 2026. He'll be 45 by the time it ends and most probably contemplating retirement.