Former Formula One champions Fernando Alonso test drives a Toyota Hilux Racing Bakkie. PHOTO: TOYOTA SA
Toyota Hilux: Double F1 champion Alonso describes South African test as incredible [video]
The Dakar Rally-winning Toyota Hilux has made some impression on the Spanish formula One champion Fernando Alonso.
Former Formula One champions Fernando Alonso test drives a Toyota Hilux Racing Bakkie. PHOTO: TOYOTA SA
Former two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso described a drive in a Dakar Rally-winning Toyota on Wednesday as incredible.
The Spaniard is eyeing a possible run-out in motor racing’s most gruelling event, the Dakar Rally, next year and attended a test of the South African built Hilux in the Kalahari.
Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Nasser Al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel guided their Hilux to a historic Dakar win in January. It was the first win for a petrol-powered car in the South American era of the ever-changing rally.
The triumph was also the first for Japanese manufacturer Toyota who have signed the former F1 Champ to their world endurance championship team.
Alonso shared the driving duties with South African racing and rally legend Giniel de Villiers. De Villiers and navigator Dirk von Zitzewit led the 2019 Dakar in stage 2 but fell off the pace after a disastrous stage 3 to surrender the lead to their Qatari teammate Al Attiyah.
The Spanish racing driver admitted that the challenge of driving of sand dunes was something very new to him but something he came to thoroughly enjoy.
The Toyota Hilux certainly seemed to put a smile on the World Champions face.
Alonso said: “It was incredible.
“We went faster and faster. We took confidence from it all even if it wasn’t always easy to read the sand dunes, their height and how fast you can drive around them.”
Alonso would be the first Formula One driver to turn to rally driving after former World Champion Kimi Räikkönen took to the World Rally Championship in 2010 and 2011 before returning to F1.
Toyota Gazoo Racing SA are expected to field three Hilux racing bakkies in the 2020 Dakar Rally. Directors of the Dakar rally are looking to expand the race to include three countries in 2020.
Watch Fernando Alonso test drive Toyota Hilux Racing bakkie – video
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