Alonso "one of the all-time greats"

 Fernando Alonso will go down as one of the all-time greats to step foot in a car. That is according to Jolyon Palmer, who believes the outgoing McLaren driver will be aiming to complete the Triple Crown, and in doing so cementing his place in the history books.

Speaking on BBC 5 Live, Palmer discussed Alonso's pedigree as an F1 driver, admitting that despite his lack of success in F1 (mainly a lack of championships compared to his rivals), he could still go down as one of the best to ever do it.

"I think he's one of the all-time greats actually," Palmer said. "He just hasn't had the results that his talent has deserved.

"When I was growing up first starting racing, he was coming into Formula One, young guy, and he was really the first man that toppled Michael Schumacher in the dominant years.

"It was 2005, his first championship, Schumacher had been on the back of five or six in a row, and Alonso came in - back-to-back championships in a Renault. He was such a consistent, complete driver.

"He got cars, specifically the Ferrari, to beat significantly quicker cars."

Alonso has made clear his intentions to complete motorsport's Triple Crown, a feat only achieved once before by Graham Hill. Palmer believes that should the Spaniard achieve his goal, then he will go down as a legend of the sport regardless of his misfortune in F1.

"As a racing driver, if he can go and win the Indy 500, then he will be going down as a legend."