McLaren open-minded on Alonso replacement

McLaren admits it does not yet have a replacement lined up for Fernando Alonso to race in the Monaco Grand Prix when the Spaniard is competing in the Indy 500.

Alonso will drive at the Brickyard at the end of May, making his debut in the 500 for a McLaren-associated Andretti Honda. In order to take part, Alonso has to skip the Formula 1 round in Monaco - which takes place on the same weekend - and when asked by RACER if the Spaniard's replacement is sorted, Zak Brown replied: "Fernando's replacement is not in place, and those conversations are ongoing.

"We have a few different options and we'll state who that is when we know."

Jenson Button (ABOVE) was the obvious candidate as the team's ambassador, but RACER understands there is some reluctance from the 2009 world champion to come out of retirement to race in Monaco, having yet to test the 2017 car. This year's MCL32 has so far proven uncompetitive, with McLaren yet to score a world championship point.

And Alonso himself admits many details of the schedule are still being finalized, with RACER expecting the double world champion to get at least one familiarization test at IMS before the Rookie Orientation Program on May 15.

"I think that the program is still ongoing so we don't know exactly the full details of how the next weeks are going to be," Alonso said. "We will tell you as soon as the program is defined. As I said, I think there is not much time. Physically there is not much time to do many things.

"There is one weekend in the middle between this race and Russia, but they are racing in Alabama, so probably I will attend that race, I will be there just to know the team and to feel a little bit the atmosphere, but it's not an oval, it's a road race, so it's not much probably that I can learn from the other side but at least I know the guys. And we'll see. I will probably spend a lot of time watching races on the computer and on the flights back and forth to America. Most of the preparation will be virtual."