Fernando Alonso open to going back to Le Mans 24 hours to reclaim his crown

F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia
F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia - Fernando Alonso finishes on the podium in Jeddah (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

Fernando Alonso claims he is open to going back to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans in the future to reclaim his crown. The Spaniard is already a two-time winner of the iconic race, having won it with Toyota in 2018 and 2019.

In January 2018, McLaren and Toyota came to an agreement that granted Fernando Alonso the opportunity to compete in the complete 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Alonso formed a team with Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima, racing together in Toyota's No. 8 TS050 Hybrid. Throughout the eight-round season, they achieved remarkable success, securing five victories, which included triumphs at the prestigious 2018 and 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans races.

This outstanding performance led them to claim the LMP1 Drivers' Championship title. However, Alonso decided to conclude his participation in the series at the end of that season.

Speaking ahead of the 2023 Canadian GP, Alonso claims he would love to go back to the exciting world of Endurance Racing in the future.

When asked if he would love to go back and if it is possible to participate in F1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the same time, the Spaniard said:

"I may go, yeah. No, you can. I did the endurance world championship and Formula One World Championship. I think both Championships, so why not one race only?"

Max Verstappen hopes Fernando Alonso wins a race this year

Max Verstappen openly expressed his support for Fernando Alonso in the 2023 Formula 1 season. Verstappen believes that Alonso deserves to secure a race victory this year, given the car he is currently driving for Aston Martin.

Despite his consistent performances, Fernando Alonso has come close to winning a race in the early stages of this season but has fallen just short of taking the lead. His best finish so far has been in second place at Monaco, and he has also secured four additional podium finishes.

As the dominant force in this year's races with seven wins out of the five races so far, Max Verstappen revealed that he is personally rooting for Alonso to achieve a Grand Prix victory in the current season.

The Dutchman said:

"I want Fernando Alonso to win a race this year. He deserves it. I like him, he's a real driver, he never gives up. He's spent many years where he had a car that he was only in the middle of, but he's an animal."

With the conditions in Canada expected to be a surprise, it will be interesting to watch Alonso's performance in Montreal.

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