After racing in the Indy 500 this year, it has now been confirmed that McLaren Formula One driver Fernando Alonso will be contesting the 2018 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
As the Spaniard has said in many press conferences of late, he is a racer and would love to race every weekend if he could and this new venture, with United Autosports will see him add that little something extra to his 2018 Formula One campaign with McLaren and their new partnership with Renault.
Alonso will team up with this years European F3 champion and McLaren development driver, Lando Norris, and reigning Asian Le Mans LMP3 Champion, Phil Hanson, behind the wheel of the Ligier JS P217.
โWhat an exciting and interesting project. Learning about a completely new racing category, adapting to a different car and to another style of driving and everything that goes with it, is a new challenge for me and I can't wait to test myself again as a driver,โ Alonso said. โThe Daytona 24 Hours is the most iconic US endurance race and one of the world's great races.โ
โEveryone knows it. It's not part of the Triple Crown but, as I have always said, my aim is to be a complete driver and this experience will help me in the preparation for any other endurance race I might take part in. Before I went to Indy, I had never driven on an oval, now I know what an oval is and how to deal with it. I am excited to go back and race in America.โ
โAfter the great time I had during the month of May for the Indy 500, I am looking forward to taking part in another legendary race that will bring back all those amazing sensations that US fans gave me. Also, this race happens at a convenient time, in January, when our F1 season is off and we are mainly working on our physical preparation. It will be good to get behind a wheel again! Thanks to United Autosports for having offered me this opportunity and thanks to McLaren for supporting me in this new exciting adventure.โ
