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McLaren CEO: Fernando Alonso the biggest mistake of his career

McLaren CEO Zak Brown calls the team’s 2019 Indianapolis 500 qualification failure with Fernando Alonso the biggest mistake of his career.

Aksel Kryhlmand

·

May 8, 2026

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McLaren CEO Zak Brown has candidly described the team’s failure to qualify for the 2019 Indianapolis 500 with Fernando Alonso as the most significant misstep of his professional life. The incident, which saw the globally recognized Formula 1 star miss out on one of motorsport’s most prestigious races, remains a stark memory for the executive.

Alonso, a two-time Formula 1 world champion, was making his second attempt at the Indy 500 in 2019, two years after his impressive debut. His ambition was to secure the elusive Triple Crown of Motorsport, with the Indy 500 being a crucial component. However, the path to the 33-car grid proved insurmountable for McLaren that year.

The 2019 Indianapolis 500 heartbreak

The qualifying format for the 2019 race was brutal, with only 33 entry spots available and three cars destined to be bumped from the field. In a stunning turn of events, Alonso was ultimately displaced from qualification by Kyle Kaiser, driving for the Juncos entry, a team operating on a significantly lower budget than McLaren. The outcome was a bitter pill for the Woking-based outfit.

Brown attributes the failure to a series of internal errors, including the team’s handling of a crash involving Alonso during practice sessions. These missteps collectively derailed their efforts, leading to one of the most unexpected eliminations in recent Indy 500 history.

Learning from a public failure

Reflecting on the painful experience, Brown did not shy away from personal accountability. Speaking to media, including RacingNews365, he admitted the profound impact of that period.

“Probably my biggest, most public one – there have been a lot – but the most public one was not qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 with Fernando Alonso which, at the time, was the worst experience of my life,” Brown stated.

Despite the initial despair, Brown now views the setback as a pivotal learning moment for both himself and the team. He emphasized taking ownership of the situation and using it as a catalyst for improvement.

“But I’m very proud of it. It sounds strange, but it’s because of how we leaned in. We learned from it. I owned it, it was my fault because I didn’t get the right pieces in place, the right people in place. I didn’t trust my instinct. All the things that I preach, I let myself down on,” he elaborated.

Since that humbling experience, McLaren has undergone a significant transformation in the IndyCar series. The team has evolved into a consistent front-runner, demonstrating a marked improvement in performance and strategy.

This turnaround is evident in their subsequent results at the Indianapolis 500, where McLaren has finished second twice since the 2019 incident. The painful lesson of 2019 appears to have forged a stronger, more resilient team.

Sources: racingnews365.com