Le Mans: Alonso with Buemi at Toyota
LE MANS The 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours are casting their shadows ahead. As the lone favorite, Toyota will enter two cars in the 2018/19 super season. Sébastien Buemi's new teammate will be Formula 1 star Fernando Alonso. Following the 2017 World Endurance Championship finale in Bahrain, Fernando Alonso tested with Toyota. This will now become a permanent [...]
Following the final round of the 2017 World Endurance Championship in Bahrain, Fernando Alonso tested with Toyota. This will now become a permanent commitment for the two-time Formula 1 world champion.
The Spaniard has never made a secret of the fact that he is excited about taking part in the Le Mans 24 Hours in a car capable of winning. Alonso will now get one in the form of a Toyota TS050 Hybrid.
On Tuesday, Toyota Gazoo Racing confirmed its participation in the 2018/19 multi-year World Endurance Championship (WEC) Super Season, which begins in May with the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Both this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans (as the second round) and next year's (as the final round) count towards the 2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
The highlight from a Swiss perspective: Fernando Alsonso becomes a teammate of Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima. The 36-year-old Spaniard has been given the go-ahead by McLaren to drive for Toyota in the WEC on the Formula 1-free weekends. Anthony Davidson becomes a reserve driver.
Toyota will be the only factory team with LMP1 hybrid prototypes and therefore the sole favorite. Not only Alonso but also Buemi will have a great opportunity to finally win the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Fernando Alonso: "I'm delighted to be competing at Le Mans for the first time. I've been following it for a long time and it was always my wish to take part in this race myself. Endurance racing is a completely different discipline to Formula 1, but I see it as an interesting challenge. With Sébastien and Kazuki I have two experienced teammates from whom I can quickly learn a lot."
Alonso made his sports car racing debut last weekend at the 24 Hours of Daytona. After a number of problems, he finished 38th overall in a Ligier LMP2 with the Brits Phil Hanson and Lando Norris as team partners. At times the team was the fastest in the field. So Alonso already knows how to drive a sports car fast.
