planetf1.com

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/alo ... n-1000481/

He'll race Le Mans, and seemingly all other races that don't clash with F1 (I think that's just the US GP and Fuji 6 Hour).

He'll team up with Buemi and Nakajima for Toyota.

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Does the US Grand Prix clash with any F2 events?

If Alonso isn't in the running for the F1 title I could see him going to Fuji if he's going well in WEC with Norris making a debut for McLaren.

I'm excited to see how he does, would love for him to win it.

I think this cross pollenization can only be good for both sports. It goes to show that Alonso is still hungry. Good on McLaren for green lighting this.

If he runs nearly all the races doesn't he get the championship credit if his team does win the championship anyway?

From what I've read (I'm no expert on endurance racing) should Alonso miss Fuji then he wouldn't get title credit should his car go on to win the title, unless the car retires.

They should get Norris into that car. He was crazy fast at Daytona.

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I'm delighted with this news. I had my fingers crossed for Le Mans but I'm absolutely gobsmacked at the full season

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I think he is just trying to make sure he is able to fight for something this year.

If his Mclaren goes well, he will definitely switch total focus to f1.

But I can fully understand him, the guy has been out of the running for some years now. He is just trying to be able to compete for something.

Alonso is becoming a great ambassador for F1. First Indy, then Daytona, and now WEC/Le Mans for 2018.

It's certainly picking up my interest in these 'other' motorsports, and if that's having the opposite effect with non-F1 people then happy days.

I genuinely believe that even if Alonso had been competitive these last couple of seasons, he would still be doing it. He loves racing that much.

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I'm glad that competing in multiple disciplines is becoming a thing again, though the faux praise for McLaren 'allowing' him to do it has been a bit much in some places, I doubt they had much of a choice if they wanted to keep Alonso in the team. It's surely a slam dunk for getting Le Mans ticked off for the triple crown too, Toyota are only racing themselves so it'd take a fairly large dollop of car trouble for Alonso to miss out.

Be interesting to see if Macca lend their other drivers out to sportscars, as has been mentioned, Norris looked pretty tasty at Daytona and racing at the sharp end in any series can surely only be a good thing?

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As soon as a superstar driver gets injured in one of these events it will come to an end. Sadly.

How is he an ambassador for F1, he's just doing it for himself. ?. . luckily with support of Maclaren.
Indy will have loads of supporter's even without Alonso, same with Daytona & WEC etc..

Because he's making F1 look like less of a snobbish, elitist bunch of so-and-sos who only care about their own series?

I don't know your nationality, obviously, but I can say for certain that here in the States a lot of people are perceiving F1 more positively after Alonso's visits.

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[b]AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 USA & P-F1 Champion

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Settle down guys. Alonso helped the image of F1, because he is a current driver and more famous than others; plenty of F1 drivers have migrated to other series. It is true that they are F1 "has beens", but we still saw Kimi and Kubica doing WRC for example.

Also, it is a good point by mpls2. What does it mean an F1 ambassador? Did he carry an F1 flag with him to represent the F1 series or did he just do this by himself? I am not sure he went to the States last year with the F1's blessing, other than his own team's support (who let's face it, they'd rather see him have some fun rather than lose him, as the toys they provided him were frustrating. This sheds some light: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13415 ... apse-fears). He wanted to get the triple crown as he mentioned.

The latest news about him competing in LeMans etc. are more him testing the waters to "what's next in life after F1" and out of boredom methinks than to represent the F1. It is a very welcome byproduct that F1 is mentioned and remembered with Alonso, but I don't think he raced in the States to promote the F1 drivers per ce.

I don't think he necessarily did either, but he did represent F1 very well in doing so. He's a top F1 driver who is visibly interested in other racing series; whether that's on purpose or not, it changes how a lot of people perceive F1 and F1 drivers. And from the F1 side of things, that he was so competitive helps make F1 drivers look good. It's a win-win, really.

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Yes, fully agree with this.

If I am honest, I do enjoy the elitism of F1 just a little bit.

Hmm.

Wonder if he's heard of a little town in rural New South Wales, Australia called Bathurst?

Feel like doing a bit of mountain climbing in October Fred?

Bit of a schedule clash with Japan but I'm sure Jenson wouldn't mind saturating your seat again.

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If Macca aren't competitive and Lando is sitting pretty in F2 or there's no round that weekend then I think we'd see Norris get a go.

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We all know what he was saying, mikey... and it was not just "banter". I have seen it in this forum all too often for nearly two decades.

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But to describe this particular comment as Xenophobic... surely without foundation?

Great Britain does not have a good enough skier to compete for the Alpine cup. Is that Xenophobic?

NB - I don't actually agree with Warheart01s statement per say but the accusation of Xenophobia was so misplaced I couldn't let it go unchallenged.

OK, a certain post is being removed. Please, nobody else quote it while I'm editing...

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Let us please take a step back from our small-minded nationalism? Disrespecting any nation because of a perceived shortcoming is extremely offensive.

Alonso is making these little side adventures because he wants to. There is zero pressure on him to compete in these series, his involvement is driven by his internal competitive nature. And for that I applaud Alonso.

Personally I find it satisfying that a Formula One driver understands that there is much more to life than a devalued WDC trophy. Yes, Alonso is chasing after number three. But he is also pursuing with as much vigor LeMans and Indy. Alonso understands that in Formula One, (just like Alesi) luck does matter, when and where you are in teams. Because it is the team and car, not the driver, that is instrumental in securing a title. The opportunity to win a third WDC is becoming slimmer and slimmer each year. But Indy and LeMans are wide open for a driver of his abilities.

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Ok. I personally think it was kept civil, but I trust your decision.

Oh well, move along!

Blinky, that's exactly what I think. The 3rd WDC is becoming all the more a far fetched dream, so he is after the other series he is missing for the triple crown. Good luck to him too!

But let's not fool ourselves that this is done to promote F1; it's merely good fortune for F1 that he is a very highly rated driver and produces a lot of publicity. His skills were immediately shown in Indy, so that helped immensely to indirectly raise the profile of F1.

Formula One does not want this happening. Although personally most involved in Formula One are race fans and applaud Alonso, teams want to keep their drivers securely under control. There is also the ego part, where Formula One drivers are touted as the best. Yet when directly compared to other drivers, they suddenly seem less formidable.

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I agree mostly. But as I posted above, Macca were on the brink of collapsing if Alonso left last year. So they probably didn't oppose him a lot. Plus, it was a Honda engined car he drove, so that may have played a role

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Dead bodies everywhere. What happened?

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I found a big red button...

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