Alonso and the Indy 500? Ron Dennis thinks it's cool!

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McLaren executive Zak Brown says that Ron Dennis, the man he replaced at the Woking-based outfit, is actually supportive of Fernando Alonso's Indy 500 adventure.

Dennis has remained secluded from Formula 1 since he was ousted from McLaren after a 36-year tenure at the helm of the company.

McLaren's ambition to usher in a new era under the guidance of Zak Brown has been marked by the Indy 500 endeavour, something unthinkable under the reign of Ron Dennis.

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But the former McLaren supremo has apparently taken a keen interest in the team's retrun to the famous Speedway where it won twice with Johnny Rutherford in the 1970s.

"I do chat with Ron from time to time," he told Crash.net.

"I think his feedback on this was pretty cool. Ron's a racer. Always has been, and so I think any time Ron can see McLaren being competitive in a major form of motorsports."

"Ron is Mr. McLaren in many ways and always will be, and I'm a big admirer of what he's achieved.

"He's spoken in the years about being a chapter in the McLaren book. My view is that he's an encyclopaedia version of McLaren."
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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.