Gazoo Racing
Fernando Alonso rolls Hilux bakkie during off-road racing debut
Alonso gains further Hilux bakkie racing experience in Lichtenburg.
Gazoo Racing
Fernando Alonso had an adventurous off-road racing debut in Lichtenburg.
The former Ferrari F1 driver is now part of Toyota’s Gazoo racing team for the 2020 Dakar rally raid, scheduled to be run in Saudi Arabia.
Read: Double F1 champion Alonso describes South African test as incredible
Alonso: From F1 champion to off-road racer
¡Combinación explosiva!?. El múltiple ganador del #Dakar Marc Coma (@marc_coma) será el copiloto de Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) en el equipo TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. Su debut tendrá lugar este fin de semana en Sudáfrica. https://t.co/qlvWrdGtr5 pic.twitter.com/H541TVLa6Z
— Toyota España (@Toyota_Esp) September 13, 2019
Alonso is a driver of immense ability, having won two F1 world championships and the Le Mans 24-hour race. He is ambitious in his desire to add a Dakar off-road racing win to his impressive racing achievements.
Seeking the best possible vehicle and team for his 2020 Dakar campaign, Alonso has chosen the South African designed and built Hilux V8 racing bakkie.
It is a vastly different racing vehicle to anything he has driven before. Alonso is accustomed to racing cars with a very low centre of gravity and powerful aerodynamic aids.
His seating position in the Hilux is much higher and the bakkie has enormous suspension travel, to cope with the severity of terrain it races over.
Then there is the issue of having to learn how different surfaces (sand, gravel, rock and mud) influence the Hilux V8’s overall mechanical grip and steering. Test sessions in the Northern Cape and Namibia have given Alonso some time at the wheel but his first off-road race was always going to be the truest test.
Mastering a new racing art
Erik de Jager captured the moments after Fernando Alonso and Marc Coma rolled their Toyota Hilux. The car sustained minor damage and thankfully both driver and co-driver are okay. #Lichtenberg400 pic.twitter.com/mJrgnl5pZp
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) September 14, 2019
South Africa hosts one of the world’s best off-road racing series and the Spanish motorsport celebrity found himself in the North West province to compete. He was here to race the penultimate final round of the 2019 South African off-road racing championship, with qualifying on Friday and the race on Saturday.
Results were not important. Gaining experience was. Alonso’s raw speed was evident during the Lichtenburg 400. He set the third fastest time in qualifying, in completely unfamiliar conditions.
Unfortunately, Alonso rolled his Hilux V8 only 27km into the race, which damaged the windscreen. Although he lost a great deal of time righting his Hilux after the rollover, and had to contend with a damaged windscreen, Alonso managed to finish in 16th place overall.
The most valuable aspect of his debut South African off-road racing experience will undoubtably be a greater appreciation of anticipating the tipping-point of his Hilux V8 bakkie.
His presence at a local off-road racing event was a thrill for motorsport fans. It also proved that South Africa is a choice location for the best international drivers to come and learn their off-road racing craft. Especially in a bakkie.
