McLaren is assessing "a few different options" for who will replace Indy 500-bound Fernando Alonso at this year's Monaco Grand Prix.
Alonso is set to make his debut at the iconic oval race which traditionally clashes with the most famous event on the F1 calendar at Monte Carlo, this year on May 28. The Spaniard, who will see out the F1 season for McLaren afterwards, will fly to Indianapolis to start practicing immediately after finishing his home race in Barcelona on May 14.
It leaves McLaren with a seat to fill on what is likely to be its strongest event of the year, due to the fact Monaco's twisty street configuration will lessen the negative impact of Honda's troublesome power unit. Jenson Button seems the most obvious candidate, having stepped back from a race drive at the end of 2016 and into an ambassadorial role with the proviso he could return to the car if needed, but according to McLaren CEO Zak Brown there are others being considered.
"Fernando's replacement driver is not in place," Brown said. "Those conversations are ongoing, we have a few different options, we will state who that is when we know.
"Eric [Boullier], who runs the F1 team, is ultimately responsible for making the recommendation as to what driver should go in the car and I think he will be here at the weekend so I can save questions for him, he is working on it. I wouldn't want to share the conversations he has had with whom."
Brown thinks the benefits of Alonso's appearance at Indianapolis for McLaren out-weigh the potential stresses of finding someone to partner Stoffel Vandoorne for a single race.
"I would love to have Fernando to be in two places at one time but we can't, at least that technology has not yet been developed. I think the opportunity for the prize in Indianapolis is very large and an opportunity that none of us want to miss.
"As Fernando has said - whoever we end up putting in the car, Stoffel is doing an outstanding job, so we will expect whatever the car is capable of, Stoffel to be able to achieve that. As will whoever the co-driver is. We have to look at bigger picture and the entirely of what McLaren-Honda is trying to achieve, for the sacrifice of not having Fernando in Monaco but having him in Indy, when we step back and look at the season we will say that was the right decision."