NASCAR: Fernando Alonso Could Be 'Interested' In Road Course, TRD Chief Says

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) chief David Wilson says Fernando Alonso could be “very interested” in the possibility of getting behind a wheel at one of NASCAR’s road course races in the future.

The Spanish two-time Formula 1 world champion quit F1 at the end of the 2018 season and is currently only committed to the World Endurance Championship until the end of the ongoing campaign in 2019. He is yet to reveal the next course of action after making it clear that he is far from done racing.

The Indianapolis 500 is certainly high on his list of priorities after a successful outing in 2017 and he is certain to have another go either in 2019 or 2020 and it fits in with his dream of winning motorsport's fabled "Triple Crown".

Alonso got his first taste of NASCAR when he swapped cars with Jimmy Johnson in 2018. He drove the American’s Hendrick Chevrolet at Bahrain’s Sakhir Circuit in 2018 and while his preference is single-seater racing, the Spaniard has not ruled out an outing in NASCAR.

The veteran racer has a close relationship with Toyota for whom he races in the WEC, and it was the Japanese manufacturer that helped him win the LeMans 24-hours in 2018 taking him one step closer to his ultimate dream.

Wilson, the president, and general manager of Toyota’s United States performance arm, revealed that he met Alonso during the launch of the Toyota Supra road car in Detroit in January. He believes the F1 legend is not ruling out any form of racing at the moment and is open to all possibilities.

“He was there because of his association with our WEC team,” Wilson said, as quoted on motorsport.com. “He was on stage at the Supra launch with Akio [Toyoda, president of Toyota], who had a friendly jab at him ‘good luck in the Rolex 24 even though you’re not with us’ [Alonso won the race with Cadillac].”

“We had dinner with him there one night, he’s looking at the entire horizon – I don’t think there’s anything that’s not a possibility for Fernando. Who knows? he said.

“Putting him behind the wheel of a road course race, at Sonoma or Watkins Glen, that would be fun. I don’t know if it’s possible, but he’d be very interested – absolutely. It would be great for business,” the TRD chief explained. “What he did [at the Rolex 24] was awesome. As a fan, I watched and I was compelled.”

Meanwhile, reports have emerged about McLaren entering into a partnership with NTT IndyCar Series team Carlin Motorsport as the Woking-based team looks to enter into the American single-seater racing series.

IndyStar claimed that Carlin Motorsport owner Trevor Carlin confirmed the arrangement between the two teams but declined to offer comment. They are expected to lend technical and operational support while also sharing data and personnel.