PARIS, France, Mar 27 – Former two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso said it “was incredible” to drive a Dakar Rally-winning Toyota on Wednesday as the Spaniard eyed a possible run-out in motor racing’s most gruelling event.

Alonso, who quit F1 last season, already features for the Japanese manufacturer in the world endurance championship and has reportedly been earmarked for a start in the 2020 Dakar event which takes place in South America.

The 37-year-old Alonso shared driving duties on Wednesday with Giniel de Villiers who was part of the Toyota team which saw Nasser Al-Attiyah triumph in the Dakar in January.

“It was incredible,” said 2005 and 2006 F1 champion Alonso after Wednesday’s test which took place in the searing heat of the Kalahari desert in southern Africa.

“We went faster and faster. We took confidence from it all even if it wasnt always easy to read the sand dunes, their height and how fast you can drive around them.”

Agence France-Presse is a global news agency delivering fast, in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from wars and conflicts to politics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Solskjaer confirmed permanent United boss

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn One good Read, two Folaus: Super Rugby talking pointsrn

rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Injured Ronaldo returns to Turin for testsrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Hamilton warns Mercedes of Ferrari recovery in Bahrainrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn African football spreads its wings with Super Cup in Qatarrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Federer ready for Anderson barrage after Miami romprn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Italy starlet Kean hits back at father’s bizarre tractor claimrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Boxingrn rn rn rn rn Zarika banking on experience to floor Phirirn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Boxingrn rn rn rn rn Zarika stops hard punching Phiri to defend WBC titlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Harambee Stars lose to Ghana to finish secondrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Obiri sets sights on first world cross goldrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Tanzania beats Uganda to qualify for AFCONrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Magufuli gifts Taifa Stars players with landrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn A day in the life of Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyamarn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Capital FM out to take Ghetto Radio to u2018Babyloneu2019 in football friendly u00a0rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Volleyballrn rn rn rn rn Prisons vball team in trouble for u2018sneakingu2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

One good Read, two Folaus: Super Rugby talking points

rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Injured Ronaldo returns to Turin for tests

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Hamilton warns Mercedes of Ferrari recovery in Bahrain

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

African football spreads its wings with Super Cup in Qatar

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Federer ready for Anderson barrage after Miami romp

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL GOR MAHIA ADVANCE TO CAF CONFEDERATION CUP QUARTERS?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Italy starlet Kean hits back at father’s bizarre tractor claim

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

‘It was incredible,’ says Alonso after Dakar Rally test

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Semenya hits back at ‘wrong’ Coe and ‘muscle-packed’ claim

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Wednesday, 27th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Chapecoense plane crash survivor dies playing soccer

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 27th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Rebuilding Bayern pay club record Sh9bn fee for Hernandez

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 27th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Solskjaer confirmed permanent United bossrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Amonde, Nelson Oyoo back in Shujaa teamrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn One good Read, two Folaus: Super Rugby talking pointsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Injured Ronaldo returns to Turin for testsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Hamilton warns Mercedes of Ferrari recovery in Bahrainrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tZarika banking on experience to floor Phirirn

rn Boxingrn rn Friday, 22nd Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tZarika stops hard punching Phiri to defend WBC titlern

rn Boxingrn rn Sunday, 24th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tHarambee Stars lose to Ghana to finish secondrn

rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 24th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tObiri sets sights on first world cross goldrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Friday, 22nd Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tTanzania beats Uganda to qualify for AFCONrn

rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 24th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tMagufuli gifts Taifa Stars players with landrn

rn Footballrn rn Monday, 25th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tA day in the life of Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyamarn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 27th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tCapital FM out to take Ghetto Radio to u2018Babyloneu2019 in football friendly u00a0rn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 21st Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tPrisons vball team in trouble for u2018sneakingu2019rn

rn Volleyballrn rn Thursday, 21st Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Solskjaer confirmed permanent United bossrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Amonde, Nelson Oyoo back in Shujaa teamrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn One good Read, two Folaus: Super Rugby talking pointsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Injured Ronaldo returns to Turin for testsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Hamilton warns Mercedes of Ferrari recovery in Bahrainrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */