Alonso trains for Dakar with Toyota

After Sébastien Loeb in South America, it is another motorsport champion who will move a little closer to a future presence on the Dakar in Saudi Arabia from 2020 : Fernando Alonso.

L’Espagnol de 38 ans va entamer un vaste programme d’entraînement avec le Toyota Gazoo Racing en Europe, en Afrique et au Moyen-Orient pour découvrir plus en profondeur les spécificités du pilotage tout-terrain.

This announcement is in no way a shock. The Asturian, double winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Japanese brand in 2018 and 2019, has not hidden his attraction to large expanses of sand, by participating in a private test session with a Hilux 4×4 at the end of March. 

On this occasion, the former pilot Renault, Ferrari et McLaren en Formula 1 was advised by the experienced Giniel de Villiers, winner of the 2019 Dakar and Toyota's rally-raid kingpin.

“It was about showing him how we approach driving this type of vehicle, showing him how to take jumps and dunes because he is clearly not used to these difficulties”, then detailed the South African.

Alonso is now testing in southern Africa for four days, before a future participation in the Harrismith 400 in South Africa (September 13-14). “I am really excited to continue my adventure with Toyota Gazoo Racing, says Alonso.

Together we have achieved a lot since I sat in a Toyota in November 2017, with our two consecutive victories at Le Mans, the World Championship ofEndurance for the team and a driver's title with my teammates Sébastien (Buemi) and Kazuki (Nakajima).

I had a taste of rally off-road earlier this year and it left me with a positive feeling that I wanted to carry forward. I knew it would be a totally different experience with a steep learning curve, but the Hilux handles really well.

It gave me so much confidence so quickly and I was improving loop after loop. I'm really looking forward to the next few months of training, getting to know the Hilux and working with the team. I have always maintained that I want to take on new challenges in different disciplines and I am part of a great team to do so. »