Alonso reveals 'unprecedented' post-F1 ‘wishlist’

Fernando Alonso has revealed his "unprecedented" motorsport "wishlist", but has also downplayed chances of him returning to the Indianapolis 500.

Having won the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Indy 500 is the only race Alonso needs to win to claim the Triple Crown. 

He competed in the race in 2017 and 2019, whilst he failed to qualify for the legendary event in 2018. His best result in the race came on his most recent attempt, where he secured 21st for Arrow McLaren.

Whilst a return to the Indy 500 is unlikely, Alonso would like another attempt at winning the Dakar rally. Alonso competed for Toyota in the extreme off-road race in 2020 and finished 13th.

"There are always things to be achieved," Alonso said on Aston Martin's official website. 

"Formula 1 is my focus right now. I would love to win the Formula One World Championship with Aston Martin – it would be the highlight of my career and probably my life.

"Winning the Dakar Rally is still on the wishlist. The Indy 500, of course, but I'm not sure if I will do it again in the future – but Dakar I will. It will be unprecedented to win the Formula 1 World Championship, Dakar Rally and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"It all comes back to the same thing: I always want to improve – to become better is the main motivator throughout my career.

"I am never happy with the position I am in. I want to be better tomorrow, and I want to be better next week and next month. This is what has kept me driving for so long."

Alonso's non-F1 discoveries

Alonso is a rare type of F1 driver, with his career having not just been spent in the pinnacle of single-seater racing. 

He used his sabbatical after leaving the McLaren F1 team to compete in other categories, with Dakar, Le Mans and the Indy 500 being completely different to one another. 

Despite his age and experience, Alonso always has to start "from zero" when he drives a different category as what he has learnt in F1 cannot be used elsewhere.

What the Spaniard has discovered in other categories, is the importance of being "humble".

"I've learnt a lot of things in other series and other categories," continued Alonso. "The way that you have to approach a new discipline like Indy 500 or endurance racing, is by starting from zero. 

"You have to start from scratch because what you learn in F1 is not applicable in terms of a driving style for something like the Indy 500, endurance racing or off-road rally. 

"When you are well established in F1, or any sport, it’s easy to fall into the trap of not improving or learning new things because you think that you know everything already.

"You have to be humble in your approach to a new series and when you are, it's like being a beginner or rookie again: you are ready to absorb all the information that the specialists in that series are giving to you. 

"Being humble, absorbing everything I could from racing in those different series, made me a better F1 driver. I don't know exactly in which area or what specific part of an F1 weekend, but I'm sure my experience and learnings from other series made me a better driver."