Alonso and McLaren set for Texas Motor Speedway test

Fernando Alonso will test for McLaren at the Texas Motor Speedway on April 9th in preparation for the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

It marks the first outing for the Bob Fernley run McLaren IndyCar program partnered with Carlin Racing. It is also the Spaniard’s first go in the oval configuration of IndyCar's Universal Aero Kit, having driven the road course kit at Barber Motorsports Park last year.

The two-time Formula One world champion drove for Andretti Autosport in the 2017 500 and led 27 laps before a mechanical issue took him out of the running with 12 laps to go. He drove in the lead pack virutually the entire race and was awarded Rookie of the Year.

He completed the second leg of the Triple Crown of Motorsport by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans driving for Toyota last year, adding to his two Formula One titles in 2005-06 and two wins at Monaco in 2006-07.

Alonso has already racked up two overall sportscar victories this year – one coming at the Rolex 24 at Daytona driving a Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac Dpi-V.R. and the other coming in the Sebring 1000 FIA World Endurance Championship round competing for Toyota.

He recently participated in a Formula One Pirelli tyre test at the Bahrain International Circuit earlier this week driving a McLaren MCL34 and tested a Dakar Rally-spec car for Toyota in South Africa.