MotoGP boss surprised Alonso Indy 500 run allowed by F1
MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta admits he was surprised Formula 1 has allowed Fernando Alonso to compete in the Indianapolis 500.
Fernando Alonso, Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna
Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The Spanish McLaren driver is skipping this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix in order to take part in the IndyCar centrepiece, for which he has qualified in fifth place.
Alonso, who has endured a frustrating F1 season so far, is being replaced at McLaren by Jenson Button in grand prix racing's blue riband event.
Ezpeleta suggested that something is not right with Formula 1 for Alonso to have been allowed to race elsewhere, and reckons former supremo Bernie Ecclestone would not have given the green light to the move.
"To me, as a friend of Alonso, I think it's great that he will race in the Indy 500," Ezpeleta told Motorsport.com.
"But at the same time I believe that something must be happening with the [F1] championship for that to have happened. That wouldn't have been possible some years ago.
"I would have been surprised [if it had happened] with Ecclestone there."
Ezpeleta also revealed that MotoGP riders cannot compete in other categories without prior consent from the championship's chiefs.
"If you have to use a contract, it's complicated," he said. "I think the secret it to have a good enough relationship with the riders so that doesn't happen.
"In our contracts there's a clause that specifies the riders can't compete in other series unless we approve it. But we have never had to use it."
Instances of full-time MotoGP riders branching out to contest other events have been limited in recent years.
Then with Tech 3 Yamaha, Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro teamed up to win the Suzuka 8 Hour endurance race with Yamaha in 2015, with Espargaro going back-to-back last year.
Smith entered the Endurance World Championship’s finale at Oschersleben last August, but injured his right knee in a practice accident and missed three MotoGP events.
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