McLaren have conducted their feasibility study to enter a team in Indycar next year and clearly find no merit in competing in the Stateside premier series at this stage of their history.
Team chief Zak Brown confirmed in Austin, “For the IndyCar Series, we have taken a decision to not compete on a full-time basis in 2019. We are simply not ready yet and we are very focused on F1. So we won’t be doing that in 2019.”
“We do have a desire to do it, as I have mentioned before, in the near future. And as far as the Indy 500 is concerned it remains of interest to us. That will be a decision that ultimately we will take in the off-season."
"I think it is something that Fernando [Alonso] would like to do as well, but right now we are still focused on F1 and until we get a little bit of fresh air we will remain focused on that," added Brown.
Alonso will retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season, but has shown interest in competing in Indycar, with McLaren at one point considering options to run a McLaren branded entry for the Spaniard as they did at the Indy 500 last year with Andretti Autosport.
It is understood that, despite this latest development, Indycar chiefs are working behind-the-scenes to provide a package that would entice Alonso to race in their series next year.
McLaren won Indianapolis in 1974 and 1976 with Johnny Rutherford.
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