INDIANAPOLIS – Fernando Alonso will not race in the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
The two-time Formula 1 champion was knocked from the field of 33 in Sunday’s Last Row Shootout at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when Kyle Kaiser posted a four-lap qualifying run 0.019 of a mph faster.
Six drivers vied for the last three positions in the field. Alonso, the third driver to make an attempt, completed his run at an average speed of 227.353 mph. It placed the Spaniard second to James Hinchcliffe at the time.
When Sage Karam qualified at 227.740 mph in the No. 24 DRR WIX Filters Chevrolet, it dropped Alonso onto the bubble as the 33rd qualifier. He remained there when Patricio O’Ward failed to go faster, leaving it up to second-year NTT IndyCar Series driver Kaiser and his small-budget Juncos Racing team.
In a backup car put together after Kaiser crashed the primary No. 32 Juncos Racing Chevrolet in practice on Friday, Kaiser ran four laps at 227.372 mph to take away the last spot and send Alonso packing.
The Fast Nine Shootout to determine the NTT P1 Award pole winner followed the Last Row Shootout immediately.
(This story will be updated with driver reaction.)