Imago
Reigning Dakar Rally champion Nasser Al-Attiyah will spearhead TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s tilt at rally-raid driving’s most fearsome race when it switches from South America to Saudi Arabia in January. Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel, who won their second Dakar Rally together earlier this year in Peru, will defend their title over the sand dunes after a stellar 2019 season behind the wheel in an all-star TOYOTA GAZOO Racing line-up of four crews. They will be joined by Giniel de Villiers and navigator Alex Haro, Bernhard ten Brinke and Tom Colsoul, and two-time Formula One world champion and reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Fernando Alonso together with Marc Coma. The crews were unveiled in Salou, Spain on October 24. // Fernando Alonso (ESP) is seen at Toyota Gazoo Racing Dakar team unveiling during the World Rally Championship Spain in Salou, Spain on October 24, 2019. // Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
Imago
Reigning Dakar Rally champion Nasser Al-Attiyah will spearhead TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s tilt at rally-raid driving’s most fearsome race when it switches from South America to Saudi Arabia in January. Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel, who won their second Dakar Rally together earlier this year in Peru, will defend their title over the sand dunes after a stellar 2019 season behind the wheel in an all-star TOYOTA GAZOO Racing line-up of four crews. They will be joined by Giniel de Villiers and navigator Alex Haro, Bernhard ten Brinke and Tom Colsoul, and two-time Formula One world champion and reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Fernando Alonso together with Marc Coma. The crews were unveiled in Salou, Spain on October 24. // Fernando Alonso (ESP) is seen at Toyota Gazoo Racing Dakar team unveiling during the World Rally Championship Spain in Salou, Spain on October 24, 2019. // Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
Fernando Alonso is preparing to take on the F1 season of 2021. Since the Renault F1 team approached him, he acted promptly on the offer and since then has been preparing well. He has already visited the factory several times and is taking this seriously.
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However, what motivated Fernando Alonso to take this decision. He had walked away from the sport 2 years back. However, he is back again. We are sure the new regulations had an important role to play.
Alan Permane, engineer to Fisichella back in the day, recalls the Alonso he was familiar with, at that time. He agreed that the spaniard has changed little. He sees the same conviction in Alonso as he did back in the day.
Reuters
Formula One F1 – Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy – Fernando Alonso is interviewed FIA/Handout via REUTERS
“He’s like all of us, another 14, 15 years older and I’m sure he’s matured. I still see that driver, I was down in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago when he did that filming day.” commented the Briton.
Back in the day when Alonso used to race, he used to give it his all. That driver is still here. Once back to Renault, all he can think of is his third world championship. Done with Le Mans and Indy 500, Alonso is back to his old love.
Read More – Fernando Alonso’s Involvement “Very Beneficial” to Renault Ahead of Alpine Switch – Ocon
Fernando Alonso still asks the same questions about his car
The Renault champion got accustomed to knowing his car in and out. He wanted to have full knowledge of what he was driving and how he could use it to his advantage. This was the prime reason he could wield the Renault car to his advantage.
Now that he is back after two years, his instincts are the same. He is equally curious about the car as he was, and his questions get similarly detailed as they were before.
“Already he’s questioning every detail and you can see he’s thinking about the future.
“Although we were running on Pirelli’s demonstration tyres which are quite a long way from the race tyres, he’s questioning every aspect of the car from the steering wheel layout to the rear ride height and things like that.” concluded Permane.
With every step since his arrival, he is making a statement. The words of which will echo through his car speeding past. He will not slack or take it slow. He will hit the gas and get going.
Reuters
Formula One F1 – Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy – October 30, 2020 Fernando Alonso with the Renault team on the circuit FIA/Handout via REUTERS
Asked about his experience at the Barcelona circuit, Alonso clarified a lot. He elaborated that hours on the simulator cannot replace the feel of a car and the track.
“The simulator is good up to a certain point, but then you need the physical effort of the car, the g-forces.
“The training of the neck, you can do as many elastics [as you want] at home, but you can never replicate the real car so I need as many laps as possible,” concluded the champion.
As this season draws to a close, Alonso patiently awaits for another test at Bahrain. Though many have opposed it, it is likely for FIA to pass and make an exception to the young driver’s test.
Read More – “Top Three in No Time”- Boullier Believes Fernando Alonso Can “Surprise a Lot of People” in Renault
