Brendon Hartley replaces Fernando Alonso at Toyota in 2019-2020

After a season marked by a victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in company Sébastien Buemi et Kazuki Nakajima as well as a possible title of world champion ofEndurance, Fernando Alonso will indeed stop its collaboration with the Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC at the end of June.

BREAKING/ @BrendonHartley to join @Toyota_Hybrid for #WEC Season 8.

We will be sad to say goodbye to @alo_oficial but more than happy to welcome back our favorite Kiwi Brendon Hartley, 2 times World Endurance Champion and former F1 driver for Season 8. pic.twitter.com/mk4aOep3en

- WEC (@FIAWEC) 1th May 2019

In accordance with what we revealed to you in preview a fortnight ago (see Ah n°2212), the Spaniard will give way to Brendon Hartley, winner of the 2017 Le Mans classic and twice WEC winner.

Note also that the 29-year-old New Zealander will officiate from the 2019 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a reserve for the Japanese entity and that he should therefore complete ten laps at the wheel of a TS050 Hybrid at the occasion of Test Day, June 2.

Brendon Hartley joins Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, José Maria Lopez, Mike conway et Kamui Kobayashi. “ Having had this team as an opponent for years in the WEC, I know what a professional and motivated team it is., explains the former pilot Toro Rosso. Therefore, I am very happy to enter it and pumped up! For this return to endurance, I think my driving has become even sharper after my experience in Formula 1. I hope to build a strong relationship with my new team and I can't wait to take to the track behind the wheel of the TS050 Hybrid. »

The double Formula 1 world champion would like to thank the Japanese team. « The victory at Le Mans last year is one of the highlights of my career in my quest for the Triple Crown and I will always remember this collective success. The time has now come to tackle new challenges, and there is no shortage of interesting opportunities at Toyota Gazoo Racing, explains Fernando Alonso, who carried out tests with the Toyota Hilux rally-raid with official driver Giniel de Villiers this spring.

I wish Brendon all the best for the upcoming season and would like to thank everyone on the team for the tremendous work they continue to do for his success in the WEC. There are two important races left because we are still in the running for the world championship titles, and I will fight for us to win both. I would love to end this great season by celebrating another world title with the TGR family."