Paris (AFP)
General rehearsal: former Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso, in search of success in the legendary races of motor sport, continues his preparation for the Dakar by participating in the Rally of Morocco from Saturday to Wednesday.
The Spaniard, co-driven by his compatriot Marc Coma, five-time Dakar winner in motorcycle and former sports director of the most famous rally-raids, making his debut in the passenger seat, aligns himself behind the wheel of a Toyota.
It is already with the Japanese manufacturer that he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018 and 2020 as well as the title of World Endurance Champion in 2018/2019. A double F1 World Champion in 2005 and 2006, Alonso failed to win the Indianapolis 500 in two participations in 2017 and 2019.
After several test sessions, the so-called "bull of Asturias" participated in mid-September in his first off-road rally, the Lichtenburg 400, in South Africa.
A first experience that allowed him to discover the risks and hazards of the rally-raid, with barrels and a broken windshield following a shock with a bird!
Five stages are on the agenda of the Rally of Morocco, which traces a loop south of Fez with Erfoud epicenter, with a total of 2,596 kilometers to swallow, including 1868 special.
Alonso will be able to face the size of the discipline that are the French Stéphane Péterhansel (Mini), thirteen times winner of the Dakar in motorcycle and car, the Qatari Nasser al-Attiyah (Toyota), triple winner, or the Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Mini), double winner.
After North Africa and South America, the Dakar-2020 will be run for the first time in Saudi Arabia in January.
© 2019 AFP