Brown open to Alonso joining McLaren IndyCar project

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says that Fernando Alonso would be welcome to join McLaren's IndyCar team next year.

The team announced on Friday that it was returning to IndyCar in partnership with existing team Arrow SPM. The team currently have James Hinchcliffe and former Sauber driver Marcus Ericsson in the team, but the Swede is not contracted for next season.

Hinchcliffe's future is also in doubt, with the team switching to Chevrolet engines and the Canadian having ties with Honda.

Brown told RACER: "No decisions have been made yet. Experience is very important. And having a long runway.

"The door’s always open for Fernando.

"He’s part of the family, he’s a contracted McLaren driver and for the first time in a long time he doesn’t have a full racing calendar ahead of him.

"He’s obviously well aware of what we’re doing here, and I’ll be seeing him later in the year and we’ll be discussing our plans and his plans and see if those converge at any point."

Alonso has no plans for next season as it stands, and recently said in an Instagram Q and A that an F1 return isn't on his mind.