In Formula 1, things are not going according to plan for the two-time world champion and veteran Fernando Alonso in the late autumn of his career. Now the Spaniard is thinking about a completely different motorsport event, for which he wants Max Verstappen as his team partner.
During an interview in Barcelona, Alonso spoke about the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Spaniard had already taken part there twice and had won twice in the end. For a possible return to the iconic race, he would like to have Max Verstappen as a teammate.
“The 24 Hours of Le Mans was a wonderful experience,” said Alonso. “Maybe I’ll do it again one day, especially if it would be with Max Verstappen.”
However, the 44-year-old also admits that there are currently no concrete plans for a third participation. The hypercar program is currently “not something that I have in mind,” said the Formula 1 driver.
In 2018 and 2019, Alonso competed in Le Mans twice in a row in a Toyota and won both times.
Verstappen shares a passion for endurance racing
With Verstappen, Alonso has at least chosen a possible teammate who shares the passion for endurance racing. The four-time world champion has already competed on the Nordschleife several times this year and also took part in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
The idea of the two Formula 1 superstars taking to the track together at Le Mans has been around for a long time. Back in March, Sebastian Vettel suggested forming a kind of “dream team” for Le Mans together with Alonso and Verstappen.
Verstappen said at the time that he would be there – but not just to go along for the ride. “I would of course love to do that,” said the Dutchman at the time on the sidelines of the Formula 1 season opener in Melbourne: “But of course only on the condition that we are able to fight for victory.”
Any Le Mans package “just has to be right. You have to be with the right team,” Verstappen made clear.
