Fernando Alonso says he will add “many more” events to his already-confirmed 2019 schedule, as he prepares to step away from Formula 1.
Alonso has contested Formula 1 and World Endurance Championship events this year – along with a handful of outings in karting – but will step away from the former after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
On Saturday it was announced that Alonso will return to the Indianapolis 500 with McLaren, though as it stands has no confirmed programme beyond the conclusion of the 2018/19 WEC season next June.
“I will do many more, but you will know step-by-step,” said Alonso.
“Aside of the WEC races, I think there are four tests with those, so if you add the three weekends of racing and four weeks of testing, that's already seven until June, plus the test of IndyCar and two weeks of the 500.
“If you see the calendar until June, maybe there are two or three weeks off, so even if it seems there are not too many races, there are a lot of preparations into those races and I'm looking forward to it, it's good to be back in Indy.”
Looking ahead to his Indianapolis 500 return, Alonso said: “This race is completely unpredictable until the last 20 laps of the race, so the whole is game is about spending the first 180 laps to be in a position to compete in the last 20.
“There are all the practice sessions and the qualifyings and the small details you need to fine-tune on the setup of the car at those speeds.
“With 300,000 watching at the same place on the same day, it's something that has no comparison with any other race in motorsport.
“I witnessed that in 2017, so it's still on my mind, even this year when I was in Monaco, I finished the race and switched on my computer and watched the full 500, next year this opportunity comes again and I cannot wait to be in Indianapolis.”
It was announced on Wednesday that Alonso's FA Racing team will compete the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019, adding to its F4, karting and eSports efforts.
