McLaren and Alonso to prep for Indy 500 in Texas

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McLaren and Fernando Alonso will begin their preparations for the Indy 500 with a test next Tuesday at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

It will be the first outing for the McLaren-Carlin joint effort, managed by former Force India team boss Bob Fernley, and Alonso's first run onboard the Chevrolet-powered Dallara DW12 in its 2018 universal aero kit speedway configuration.

Behind the scenes of Alonso's Indy 500 seat fitting

Alonso returns to Indianapolis this year in an attempt to complete his Triple Crown ambitions, after running competitively at the Brickyard in 2017 with a McLaren-entered car run by Andretti Autosport.

In addition to its one-off partnership with McLaren, Carlin will also run at Indy regular full-time IndyCar drivers Charlie Kimball, Max Chilton and rookie Patricio O'Ward.

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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.