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Fernando Alonso to race in Indy 500

Fernando Alonso will race in the 101st Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2017. The only problem is, that means he can't be in Monte Carlo that weekend. The two-time Formula 1 champion will enter the race for McLaren, using a Honda engine, under the banner of the Andretti Autosport team. It will be Alonso's first time racing an Indy car or racing on an oval superspeedway, but he'll have from May 15 onward to practice at the track ahead of the race. The Indy 500 will be the only event of the series that he'll compete in this year, and he'll be back in the seat for McLaren at the Canadian Grand Prix on June 11. "I'm immensely excited that I'll be racing in this year's Indy 500 with McLaren, Honda, and Andretti Autosport," says Alonso. "The Indy 500 is one of the most famous races on the global motorsport calendar, rivaled only by the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Monaco Grand Prix," the latter of which he'll be skipping. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. While putting a beloved F1 Champion in a seat at Indy is certainly exciting for everyone involved, fans included, it is also a reminder of McLaren's disappointing start to the F1 season. The team has zero points after two races, and Alonso failed to finish either Grand Prix. McLaren-Honda has yet to say who will race at Monaco in Alonso's place, but the team says it will make that announcement " in due course." Related Video:

2017 McLaren 570GT takes a more balanced approach to speed

You can divide performance cars thusly – there are some you could commute in everyday and there are some you can't. Most McLarens fall into the latter category, including the 570S, 650S, and 675LT. While we can salute that commitment to fun, the reality is that McLaren's rivals all sell cars in the former category. That's where the new 570GT comes into play. It takes the 570S formula and broadens its appeal, maintaining the base car's output – 562 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque from a 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 – but softening the suspension, fitting more equipment, and quieting down the exhaust. In fact, it's this pursuit of quiet that's perhaps the biggest sign that McLaren is willing to change the nature of the 570. Aside from the exhaust, the company has ditched the carbon-ceramic brakes (which can squeal awfully) in favor of quieter steel stoppers. And instead super-grippy tires, there's a set of Pirellis that cut up to three decibels of cabin noise. View 14 Photos It's a versatile thing, too. There's a total of 12.3 cubic feet of cargo space, thanks to a new luggage cover over the mid-mounted engine. And getting to that cargo area is made easier by the revised rear hatch, which swings open rather than lifts up. These are all very, very good things. It's good for the customer because McLaren will actually sell them a car you can use comfortably and without concern every single day. It's good for McLaren because the 570GT commands a $14,000 premium over the standard 570S. And it's good for fans of the brand, because it's proof that McLaren understands there needs to be more than pure performance in its products. With the 570GT, it can still wow its driver in that tiny fraction of mileage spent on the track or a winding road, but we're betting its owners will end up putting a lot more miles on overall. You can check out our full range of photos from the 570GT's big debut in Geneva at the top of the page.

Oregonians use supercar collection to make sick children smile

Portland, Oregon couple Eric Peterson and his wife Amity own ten exotic cars and, said Amity, they "didn't want the cars to sit." Instead of the random track day or regular trips to Cars 'n' Coffee, they started a project called Dream Drives for Kids, which brings ill youngsters to the Peterson garage and takes them for a ride in the car of their choice. The couple aims to take a new kid for a ride every week. Portland's KGW news covered the project while a four-year-old named Gideon, who has a rare childhood melanoma, stopped by for a jaunt in a McLaren MP4-12C. And Gideon's a champ in his own right: the kid likes cars so much he would take Hot Wheels to other sick children in the ward, and he gave the Petersons a box of Hot Wheels gift sets to give to other children when they come for rides. You can watch the heartwarming segment in the video above. News Source: Eric Peterson via YouTube, Motor Authority McLaren Coupe Luxury Performance charity portland