Toyota The Dakar 2023 is on track. With one stage to go until its completion, its franchise driver, Nasser Al-Attiyah, leading march with more than an hour of advantage over the second classified. And despite the great performance of the Qatari, the Japanese have their sights set on another driver: Fernando Alonso.
The Spaniard participated with Toyota in the 2020 edition, the only one he has ever competed in, and has always left the door open for a return to the toughest race in the world. And Toyota awaits with open arms Alonso’s return to the dunes.
In an interview with the newspaperACE‘, Gyln Hall, head of the Toyota team, revealed what his dream duo would be: “Having Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fernando Alonso”. From ’14’ he highlights his “ability, dedication and mental strength”.
In addition, the British manager assured that Alonso gave him his word that he would return to the Dakar with them: “He told me he would come back and he will. Now in Formula 1 he is doing a great job, so why change? He will come back stronger and his time with us on the Dakar will come.”
The Japanese brand does not set a date for Alonso’s return, but they are already working on a “plan for Alonso”. Toyota’s intention is to place the Spaniard in one of the Hilux T1+ that they have developed (and that they will continue to do in the medium term) of those that have already proven their speed in this edition of the Dakar with Al-Attiyah.
Despite the well-known difficulty of the race, Hall has dared to give a forecast on how long it will take Alonso to win the Dakar when he participates again: “This is a complicated race. It might take two or three years to win. But I see him more than ready to succeed, of course.”
