Fernando Alonso spent the afternoon trackside at today's 6 Hours of Bahrain, an interested spectator at the final round of the World Endurance Championship.
The McLaren driver is slowly but surely gearing up for an assault on next year's Le Mans 24 Hours, likely with Toyota, as he attempts to fulfill his ambitions of winning motorsport's Triple Crown which includes Monaco, the Indy 500 and Le Mans.
Invited to Bahrain as a guest of the Bahrani Royal Family on Saturday, Alonso will take part in the WEC rookie test on Sunday, with Toyota.
“We are very excited that Fernando will test our car. When he visited us in Cologne everyone who met him could sense his enthusiasm and passion for our sport; he is a true racer,” said Toyota Gazoo Racing team president Hisatake Murata.
“We very much respect his interest in different forms of motorsport and it is a pleasure to offer him this chance to drive a hybrid LMP1 car. It will be interesting to hear his feedback on the TS050 Hybrid.”
Alonso will share track time in the Toyota car with 19-year-old Thomas Laurent, who received a test as a prize for his star display during his rookie WEC campaign this year, while regular Toyota racer Mike Conway will also be behind the wheel.
As he ramps up his preparation for Le Mans, Alonso will also race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January of next year, with Zak Browns's United Autosports team.
Toyota has yet to officially confirm its involvement in the WEC in 2018 but all signs appear to point to the manufacture extending its presence in the endurance series despite rival Porsche's retreat.
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