Alonso fails to qualify as Pagenaud takes Indy pole

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Former Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso narrowly failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday as France's Simon Pagenaud took pole position for the May 26 race, known as "Bump Day" of the biggest race in the United States.

Kyle Kaiser beat out Alonso for the final spot in the 33-car field when he finished third, one spot ahead of the Spaniard, in a six-car shootout that determined the Indy 500's last row.

The 23-year-old Kaiser, the last driver to take the track, averaged 227.372 mph for his four laps, a mere 0.019 mph ahead of Alonso's 227.353 mph average in the McLaren-prepared Chevrolet.

"We never surrendered. We kept trying," Alonso, 37, told reporters after a tough week at the famed speedway.

Fernando Alonso of Spain drives the McLaren F1 Team MCL34 Renault during F1 testing in Bahrain, April 2, 2019. /VCG Photo

The Spaniard left Formula One to focus on winning Indy, but he crashed his Chevrolet in practice on Wednesday and missed nearly two full days of practice while a back-up car was prepared.

Then he tried five times on Saturday to qualify, puncturing a tire on the first attempt.

Alonso had a completely new set up for Sunday's shootout but could not get the speed he needed to qualify.

"I think the car felt better today than what we had yesterday. (So I am) happy with things we tried," he told reporters before learning he had not qualified.

Pagenaud had a four-lap average speed of 229.992 mph to become the first Frenchman to take the pole since Rene Thomas in 1919.

Source(s): Reuters