Fernando Alonso is changing numbers for this year’s Indianapolis 500. He will no longer be wearing #29, with which he made his debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2017.

McLaren, Alonso’s team at the legendary Brickyard, has confirmed that, on May the 26th, the Spaniard will sport the number 66, as he attempts to conquer both the legendary race and the Triple Crown of Motorsport.

After hearing the news, fans of the Spaniard and the Woking team have been left wondering what has motivated this change of numbers. Knowing the English team, it is certain that there is a good reason for it.

Also, it would be rare for ‘El Nano’ to make any decision at random when this concerns his professional career, whether in the IndyCar, the World Endurance Championship or any other specialty in which he competes.

As It turns out, the bumber 66 has a strong historical significance for the British team. The first McLaren to win at the Indy 500 had the number 66 on its livery. It happened on May the 27th, 1972.

Directed by Roger Penske, American driver Mark Donohue and his Offenhauser powered M16, sealed the first victory of the brilliant track record of the Woking team at the American event.

Donohue, who came from Haddon Township in New Jersey, took three hours, four minutes and five seconds to complete the 200 laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Al Unser came behind at +3:10.95 seconds. Third on the podium was Joe Leonard with a time of +4:12.07 seconds.

The number 66 has always been linked to the partnership between Donohue and Penske. Both competed together in five editions (1969-1973) of the 500 Miles of Indianapolis. Previous to that, they had also joined forces in other specialties, but on those occasions they had received the checkered flag using the number 6.

In their first appearance at the race in 1969, Donohue and the Penske team wanted to register with number 6. This was impossible because No 6 was reserved for driver Al Foyt. It was then that they decided on number 66.

The No 66 brought a measure of good luck for the partnership. Mark started from fourth on the grid and finished seventh. That was a sensational result for a rookie and so it earned him the Rookie of the Year Award.

 

In the 1970 edition he qualified in fifth position and finished second, again with number 66 and aboard another Lola. A year later (1971), the Penske team changed that car for the dark blue McLaren M16. On that occasion, Donohue started second but he had to withdraw (incidentally on lap 66) due to a problem with the transmission.

Donohue’ triumph arrived in 1972 at the controls of the new M16B. He took the lead during the last 13 laps, making a great show of power. In fact, the number 66 set a new average speed record.

That was the first victory for a number 66. The champion from New Jersey and his lucky number competed together for the last time in 1973. They started in third position but a mechanical failure meant they had to retire early.

After Donohue’s departure, the Pendle team only used the number 66 in one occasion at the IndyCar 500. It was in 2001 when Gil de Ferran, current sporting director for McLaren, finished second behind his teammate Helio Castroneves. Globally, the number 66 was only used in another 6 occasions during the 80s and 90s.

‘Number 66’ images: McLaren