Ecclestone would have blocked Fernando Alonso’s Indy 500 appearance

Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone says he would have done whatever he could to stop Fernando Alonso skipping the Monaco Grand Prix in order to race at the 2017 Indy 500 if he was still in control of Formula One.

"I think it's probably good for him," Ecclestone told reporters in Bahrain. "I think if I could have persuaded McLaren not to go I would have done it.

"I would have said wait until your contract finishes and then you can do what you like but you are in the middle of Formula One and you are a Formula One driver. But I don't like to see him at the back of the grid anyway."