Alonso's list of targets

Spanish ace promises more “iconic” outings for 2019

Fernando Alonso hasn’t shocked anyone with news of his return to the Indy 500 in 2019. But he is promising to spring a surprise over the winter by adding what he is describing as “a couple more challenges” to his new schedule.

“There are a couple of iconic places, iconic races that probably I will add to my calendar,” says the Spaniard, who may or may not have bowed out of F1 for good after Abu Dhabi in November. Don’t forget that he’s only announced that he’s not racing in F1 in 2019, not that he has retired from the pinnacle of the sport.

Alonso has got the three remaining rounds of the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship superseason, culminating in the defence of his Le Mans 24 Hours crown in June with Toyota, and the Indy 500 the preceding month in McLaren Racing colours. “It will be a little bit more than that,” he says of his planned 2019 programme.

What he has in mind isn’t entirely clear, and he wasn’t making any connection between the new challenges and the ‘ride-swap’ PR gig in which he was scheduled to drive Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Cup Chevrolet in Bahrain the week after Abu Dhabi. Some news is being promised by Alonso soon as a “Christmas gift”.

What is clear, however, is that Alonso is a man enjoying himself away from the F1 pressure cooker, enjoying racing for racing’s sake.