While Rossi remarkably won the Indy 500 as a rookie last year, it owed a lot to a fuel-mileage run in the final stint, and for the most part the fortunes of the recent ex-F1 brigade suggest that Alonso will have his work cut out given his lack of specialist experience.

As for other Indy cameo appearances, Andretti ran NASCAR star Kurt Busch to sixth place in 2014, although compared to Alonso he had the advantage of a deep understanding of oval racing. Villeneuve also made a one-off return in that race, staying on the lead lap to come home 14th - a result that would surely be considered respectable for Alonso at the first attempt.

On the other side of that coin, ex-F1 racer Jean Alesi's attempt at the race in 2012 was a disaster, but that was as much down to the forgettable Lotus engine project as anything else, with the French-Sicilian not really having a hope from the off due to the equipment at his disposal. At least in Andretti, Alonso knows that side of things is taken care of.

The former F1 Group CEO, who set up all the current deals himself over the years, now believes that promoters are paying too much to host races, and that the costs could prove to be unsustainable for some events.

"The only thing that would be good for everyone, I think, would be if we could charge the promoters a lot less money," Ecclestone told Motorsport.com.

Honda accelerates new engine for Bahrain test

The Japanese are looking for a quick fix after McLaren's worst start in 17 years

Yusuke Hasegawa, Honda's chief in F1, acknowledged his country's reporters in the past China Grand Prix that they will do everything possible for the debut of the new specification of the engine already in the tests of Bahrain that will be realized next Tuesday And Wednesday at the Sakhir circuit, right after the dispute for the third race of the season this Sunday.

It is the first test of the season, which will have a second part on 1 and 2 August in Hungaroring, in addition to the finals at Yas Marina (Abu Dhabi) on 28 and 29 November.

Sakura is working hard to give McLaren a propeller out of the current impasse, which is to be the worst engine of the grid, assumed by Hasegawa himself, who acknowledged Saturday of the grand prize that he is "in the combustion engine" , Where it has the main operating deficit, in the lack of conventional power, and not so much in the electrical part.

To arrive, it would be a quick response from the Japanese driver to the demands of Fernando Alonso to see something soon, tangible and visible on track, not with data and plans, if they want to continue with them more seasons in F1.

The pressure is maximum after the triple abandonment by fault of its two cars, the worse start of McLaren since 2000 when three cars did not finish and the other one was disqualified

As it has transpired, the new improvement is quite large, "although not to win races from Sunday to Sunday", although Honda does not want to set a date for its introduction, because it is also likely to be risky and deep, as they have also warned during the 'meet The team 'on Saturday in Shanghai. If it is reliable, first of all, and more powerful, it could debut in the fourth date of Russia (28-30 April), ie one earlier than expected, which was Spain, as branded.

"We do not want to set a date for this new improvement, but we can do as many as we want because there are no tokens this year. As soon as it is ready, we will do it," insisted the Honda chief, who is no longer worried about the vibrations of the propeller in Its assembly with the chassis.