McLaren finally participated in their first 2017 Indianapolis 500 since 1979. This race allowed Fernando Alonso to complete his second race of the renowned Motorsport’s Triple Crown. In this race, his vehicle was run and managed with the help of the Andretti team under the McLaren–Honda-Andretti tag. Alonso performed exceptionally well, and was a top contender for a top 5 finish, but then the engine malfunctioned. If the deal comes through, the partnership will definitely cover up their mistakes, and Alonso could give other drivers a run for their money in this IndyCar’s coveted event.

However, we all know that these remain rumors as there are several factors that can hinder the deal from going through. Firstly, Alonso’s future with McLaren is in the balance. From the fact that Andretti is in negotiations with McLaren and not directly with Alonso, the 2018 McLaren Indy 500 tie-up may be just a mirage. On McLaren’s side, F1 is of great importance, so they could easily overlook IndyCar to concentrate on F1. In a nutshell, Andretti needs McLaren more than the Formula 1 side needs it.

As far as things remain, we can only hope that all will go as Andretti expects so that we have a rematch of this year’s McLaren Indy 500. A few other factors give Andretti a boost. One, McLaren has embarked on a plan to expand its wings outside of F1 with Le Mans being on their radar. For this reason, IndyCar could also be a destination for them. Besides Andretti, Honda’s De Ferran, a one time Indy 500 winner is also keen on working with Alonso. Several pundits’ analyses also seem to be pointing to the fact that Alonso should consider switching to IndyCar. For now, all we can do is sit back and watch as the events unfold!