Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Alonso gets seat fit, visits Borg-Warner Trophy in Indy

levitt-0417-alo_00685

2017 Verizon IndyCar Series Fernando Alonso Seat Fitting at Andretti Autosport Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Monday 24 April 2017 World Copyright: Michael L. Levitt LAT Images

Michael L. Levitt

Fernando Alonso’s quick first visit to the U.S. before this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix continued Monday with a trip to Indianapolis with his Andretti Autosport team, following the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala.

After a jam-packed Sunday packed with media commitments and observing from the pits, Alonso went to Andretti’s shop on Zionsville Rd. where he made his seat fit for his upcoming first test on May 3 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This was the only time this could be worked into his schedule before he heads to Sochi to resume his Formula 1 commitments in his day job, lead driver of the team’s McLaren Honda.

Alonso also met the trophy he hopes to win as part of his quest to capture the Triple Crown, the Borg-Warner Trophy.

Andretti Autosport is the defending champion team at Indianapolis with Alexander Rossi. Rossi follows Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014), Dario Franchitti (2007) and Dan Wheldon (2005) as winners for the team in the ‘500.

“It’s a beautiful trophy that I would be proud to take home if I won the Indianapolis 500. There are so many familiar faces on the trophy from the past and present that represent the greatest race in the world,” Alonso said, via BorgWarner. “Can I please get a full-sized trophy to take home if I win the race? The small ones (Baby Borgs) are nice but a big one would be wonderful!”

As Alonso is a two-time World Champion, he wouldn’t be the first driver to pull off an Indianapolis 500 victory. Others that have done so are listed below:


  • Jim Clark - Formula One World Champion in 1963 and 1965, Indianapolis 500 winner in 1965
  • Graham Hill - Formula One World Champion in 1962 and 1968, Indianapolis 500 winner in 1966
  • Mario Andretti - Formula One World Champion 1978, Indianapolis 500 winner in 1969
  • Emerson Fittipaldi - Formula One World Champion 1972 and 1974, Indianapolis 500 winner in 1989 and 1993
  • Jacques Villeneuve - Formula One World Champion 1997, Indianapolis 500 winner in 1995

NBCSN videos from Alonso’s Sunday at Barber are linked below.

Press Conference

Grid Interview with Townsend Bell

NBCSN Booth

Follow @TonyDiZinno