Brown: McLaren won't seek to buy an Indy 500 entry

McLaren boss Zak Brown insists his team will not seek to buy out another team's entry into next Sunday's Indy 500.

The Woking-based outfit and Fernando Alonso failed to qualify for the blue riband event after yesterday's dramatic shootout which saw six contenders battle for a spot on the last row of the grid.

Alonso was on the bubble in third position, preceded by SPM's James Hinchcliffe and Dreyer and Reinbold's Sage Karam, but the Spaniard was unexpectedly gunned down by final runner Kyle Kaiser driving for the small Juncos outfit.

Alonso will always prefer to try, and fail, then stay at home

While IndyCar's regulations allow for a team to buy a rival's qualified entry, Brown clearly dismissed such a possibility.

"We'll come back fighting. We don't want to buy in. We want to earn it. Anyone can buy in. We want to get in on merit," the McLaren chief told the AP.

©Price/XPB Images

"It was always going to be a hard road but no excuses - we didn't get the job done. Credit and respect to those who did," Brown added in a post on social media.

"I'm sorry we couldn't put McLaren and Fernando in the race. The team put their heart and soul into it and I thank them. We know where we went wrong and we'll fix it."

In Sunday's post-qualifying press conference, McLaren sporting director Gil de Ferran, a winner of the Indy 500 in 2003, apologized to Alonso for the team's failure to hold up its end of the bargain.

"I want to apologize to you, as well," de Ferran said, turning to Alonso.

"We didn’t give you a car that was fast enough. You drove like the champion that we know you are.

"Particularly the last three days have been incredibly tense and difficult, and we couldn’t have asked anything more from you, Fernando. I’m sorry, man. You’re an amazing driver.

"In my 35 years of racing … this has been the most painful experience I’ve ever had."

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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.