IndyCar

[Matt]

Looks like Alonso might be trying out a NASCAR car soon as well: https://www.twitter.com/JimmieJohnson/status/1039876291728564224

Seems to be a seat swap like Montoya/Gordon or Stewart/Hamilton.

[Penfold]

Alonso did say he wants to prove himself as the best driver ever, and as he won't take any more F1 titles perhaps he's aiming to be champion in multiple series.  So, first up is to win the WEC (quite straightforward in the Toyota), then add one or two IndyCar titles to his CV (should be simple enough!), next move onto NASCAR for a few seasons of inevitable glory, and round it all off with the WRC.  Oh yeah, he could also squeeze in a bit of Formula E, the Dakar rally, DTM, Bathurst 1000, Pikes Peak, etc, etc.

Got round to watching the Portland race over the weekend.  Dixon a lucky chappy to avoid any serious damage on lap one, to his car or to his title hopes.  Tough on Rossi how the cautions played out but nice to see Sato taking a win.  Must remember to avoid all things IndyCar until Sonoma race is uploaded next Thursday.

[Chrill]

Alonso is always welcome to start a team in Rallycross with Jenson Button. I think the Australian V8, WTCC, and Formula Truck would all like to host him too.

[Matt]

Getting him into Bathurst would be fun. Definitely a ?second tier? prestige race below things like Indy and Le Mans, but nonetheless fairly well-known to racing fans internationally.

[Penfold]

Van Door looking around at different options for a race seat, one of which is IndyCar: https://www.racefans.net/2018/09/14/vandoorne-open-to-indycar-switch-for-2019/

He's assuming someone will want to give him a seat....

[Matt]

The amount of defenders he has online is unbelievable. To me, losing to Alonso is one thing. That would be fine. Being absolutely destroyed such that you may as well have never even been on the track is another. Basically never beating Alonso in any qualifying session or race is unacceptable. Alonso has been in bad cars so long that people have let their imaginations turn him into an unbeatable force that he is not?and I say that while believing that Alonso might be the best driver in F1.

[Penfold]

I could just about forgive Van Door never beating Alonso in any quali. or race this year if he was at least getting close to him, but the margins by which he's being outpaced are at times hilariously large.

[Chrill]

Vanny matched Alonso far better in 2017 than this year. Keeping up or improving is needed, falling behind is not ok.

[Matt]

Best update so far: Wickens working his legs during rehab. https://twitter.com/robertwickens/status/1043220962458644481?s=21

[Penfold]

Missed this post.

Obviously we can't tell whether that is under his own steam, or if it's the machine doing most of the running (cycling) at this point, but I shall consider it positive news and hope it's just the first stage towards a full recovery.

[Penfold]

Alonso doesn't fancy Formula E (at least, not yet), says he doesn't have the skills for rallying, but the Bathurst 1000 is a possibility: https://www.racefans.net/2018/10/02/alonso-not-considering-formula-e-or-wrc-switch-for-2019/

[Chrill]

If he can't win in rallying, he'll never be the world's greatest. Just saying.

[Penfold]

Ayrton Senna is the World's greatest so the most Alonso can hope for is second place.

[Matt]

https://racer.com/2018/10/04/ericsson-targeting-carlin-indycar-ride/

Ericsson essentially confirming the rumors that he?s looking at IndyCar.

[Chrill]

He'd be the second best Swede. At least in F1, he's the best Swede.