Toyota Gazoo Racing confirmed late Saturday evening, that Fernando Alonso will be testing the Toyota Gazoo TS050 Hybrid during the Rookie test today in Bahrain.
Alonso was at the factory in Cologne on 7 November, to get his seat fitting done and to prepare himself in the simulator.
It is the first time for Alonso to test a LMP1 car, but he has spoken about competing at Le Mans for a long time. So far, he has been confirmed to do the Daytona 24 Hours in January for United Autosports in a LMP2 car.
Photo: JJ Media
The Formula 1 and the FIA World Endurance Championship calendars for 2018 are really fitting nicely into each other, with only the Fuji WEC round and the COTA Formula 1 round clashing. So there is the chance of a Alonso being able to do both championships in 2018, if he is allowed to do so by McLaren. During the 2017 season he was allowed to skip the Monaco Grand Prix, to do the Indy500 instead, so the chances of a double programme in 2018 is there. Only time will tell what Toyota Gazoo Racing will do with their driver line-up. It is not impossible for changes to happen, since the drivers all have been waiting for news about the future of the Toyota LMP1 programme for a long time, and rumours of drivers leaving have started to emerge.
We should be informed very soon, when Toyota Gazoo Racing will most likely confirm their 2018/19 FIA WEC programme.
