Fernando Alonso will be taking part in the next edition of the Dakar Rally which, for the first time, will be held in Saudi Arabia. The news was released this Monday by French official Dakar broadcaster, France TV Sport. 

Next to him will seat five-time motorbike Dakar champion Marc Coma. The mighty couple will be driving the Hilux 4×4 for the Toyota GAZOO Racing team, the same vehicle Nasser Al-Attiyah used to conquer the glory at last year’s edition. 

The authoritative news outlet that has broken the news leaves little doubt about its veracity despite no official confirmation having been issued to date.  It seems we can confidently assure that the Spaniard will be taking the start in January in Saudi Arabia. Official confirmation is rumoured to follow in the next few hours, most likely on this very Tuesday, the 20th of August.

No seat in Formula 1 = Debuting in the Dakar

It seems that one of the most eagerly awaited news – or open secrets – in Motorsports, is about to be confirmed: The professional future of Fernando Alonso. There is little doubt that the Spaniard’s decision has been motivated by the lack of options to a competitive seat in Formula 1.

Alonso didn’t seem to have a clear professional objective since winning the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with Toyota alongside teammates Sebastian Buemiand Kazuki Nakajima in June. The Spaniard has actually been doing some thinking during the summer holidays regarding which path to take.

The decision to take part in the Dakar Rally was subjected to him failing to secure a competitive seat in Formula 1. Fernando Alonso’s hope was to be able to return to Formula 1 onboard a car that could take him to victory.

The three great teams (Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari), however, didn’t have a seat available for the Spaniard. The strategic policy of the scuderias, which consists of lining up a star pilot with a secondary one, has played against Alonso’s chances. Perhaps 2021, with new regulations in place and a more active driver market, could be the year of his return.

Faced with that reality, and after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018 and 2019, the World Endurance Championship 2018-2019 and the 24 Hours of Daytona, he has been spurred into this new challenge. 

A new adventure

Determined to become the most complete driver in the history of motorsports, and after temporarily leaving the pursuit of the Triple Crown aside, Fernando Alonso is swapping the circuits with the dunes. Despite his proven talent on board any type of vehicle, this will be an extreme challenge for the Spaniard.

The jump from the asphalt of the circuits to the sands of the desert requires a great dose of adaptation considering as well that the environment of the Dakar is completely unknown to the Spaniard.  The driving styles of the varying road and off-road motorsport disciplines are completely different for obvious reasons. 

An exceptional ally called Marc Coma

Well aware of the difficulties ahead, Fernando Alonso has recruited a star of the Dakar Rally to seat by his side at the Hilux. Marc Coma’s great experience, having won five editions of the Dakar (2006, 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2015) in the motorcycle category, has made of him an authority of the famous Rally. 

If that wasn’t enough, Coma’s expertise in the hardest raid in the world is not limited to racing itself. After stopping competing he became the Rally’s sporting director between 2016 and 2018. In 2018 he quit that role following the end of the contract with ASO, the race organisers to date. 

The first rumours regarding the possible participation of Fernando Alonso in the Dakar emerged in March following a trip of the Spaniard to South African desert. It was there that he completed the first kilometres on board a Toyota Hilux V8 4×4. He had a five-star teacher: the South African Giniel De Villers, Dakar champion in 2009 and a regular at the podium.

 Images: Toyota.