When Fernando Alonso's delayed return flight from the Indy test threatened his practice programme for the Russian Grand Prix, the Spaniard received a small taste of a frequent problem for F1 drivers back in the day.
Despite the Indianapolis 500 being part of the F1 World Championship between 1950 and 1960, logistics and little desire to race on an oval meant the option was not popular with F1 teams. But the attraction would multiply in tandem with an increasing prize fund that dwarfed start money received for the best part of an entire season's grand prix races, the experience being made additionally viable by the advent of rear-engine F1 cars capable of taking on and beating the lumbering Indy roadsters.