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Zak Brown believes that Fernando Alonso is fully capable of winning the Indy 500 this weekend as the Spaniard prepares to race 200 laps around one of motorsport's most famous events.
Alonso shocked everyone last month when he announced that he would be skipping the Monaco Grand Prix, arguably McLAren's greatest chance of points this season. Instead, he would be contesting the Indy 500 in a bid to eventually win the Triple Crown of motorsport - Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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"I think he can win," the McLaren executive director told Sky F1. "You've got what appears to be five, six, seven cars that are the fastest and I do think Fernando's definitely in that group. I don't think they will be beaten if the race is on pure speed.
"Then maybe you've got another five cars that can win on a little bit of strategy going your way. Then another five that could win if something dramatic happens.
"Ultimately, because something dramatic usually does happen, I think that means you've got 15 people, none of which I would be surprised if they win the Indy 500. But if Fernando's there at the end, he's going to be a tough cookie."
Alonso will start the Indy 500 from the second row of the grid, an achievement that saw him receive a lot of praise from around the paddock. Despite the high starting position, Brown expects the race to be an almighty challenge for the Spaniard.
"There's a lot of cars out there, so not getting caught up in somebody else's mistake is tough," added Brown. "For sure, Fernando will have to dodge a few bullets, the type of race that it is.
"There's also a way you race. He's not going to know what lap 100 is like because he's never done it yet. Nigel Mansell, who in 1993 almost won the race, ultimately got caught out by his inexperience on the restart and finished third.
"The drivers love that Fernando is here but when the green flag drops, they're all going to get down to business and there are some great drivers in IndyCar."
Fergal Walsh
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