Alonso: "I don't feel ready" to win Dakar Rally 2020

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15:53, 07 Dec 2019

Fernando Alonso says that he is not ready to win the Dakar Rally ahead of his first appearance at the event in 2020. The Spaniard has been experimenting with other forms of motorsport since retiring from F1, but the Dakar is his biggest challenge so far.

The rally moves to Saudi Arabia for the first time, after over a decade in South America and Alonso will drive a Toyota Hilux in the dunes in January.

Starting in Jeddah and ending in Qiddiya, the Dakar is one of the toughest events in motorsport, and Alonso said at the FIA Prize Giving in Paris: “If I go there to enjoy the experience.

“If I think on Dakar in terms of winning Dakar, I don’t feel ready. I’m perfectly aware of my lack of experience. I think in other races that I attempt, in Indy or Le Mans or Daytona, I feel quite competitive in a level that I could fight for victory.

“In Dakar, I don’t think I am at that level and I need to be with feet on the ground. But I will play a different strategy. I will not be the fastest but hopefully I will be in a good position at the end.”

Pos.	Driver	Team	Points
1	Kimi Antonelli Kimi Antonelli	MercedesMER	156
2	Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton	FerrariFER	115
3	George Russell George Russell	MercedesMER	106
4	Charles Leclerc Charles Leclerc	FerrariFER	75
5	Lando Norris Lando Norris	McLarenMCL	73
6	Oscar Piastri Oscar Piastri	McLarenMCL	70
7	Max Verstappen Max Verstappen	Red Bull RacingRBR	55
8	Isack Hadjar Isack Hadjar	Red Bull RacingRBR	37
9	Pierre Gasly Pierre Gasly	AlpineALP	32
10	Liam Lawson Liam Lawson	Racing BullsRCB	28
11	Franco Colapinto Franco Colapinto	AlpineALP	19
12	Oliver Bearman Oliver Bearman	HaasHAA	18
13	Arvid Lindblad Arvid Lindblad	Racing BullsRCB	14
14	Carlos Sainz Carlos Sainz	WilliamsWIL	6
15	Alexander Albon Alexander Albon	WilliamsWIL	5
16	Esteban Ocon Esteban Ocon	HaasHAA	3
17	Gabriel Bortoleto Gabriel Bortoleto	AudiAUD	2
18	Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso	Aston MartinAST	1
19	Nico Hulkenberg Nico Hulkenberg	AudiAUD	0
20	Valtteri Bottas Valtteri Bottas	CadillacCAD	0
21	Sergio Perez Sergio Perez	CadillacCAD	0
22	Lance Stroll Lance Stroll	Aston MartinAST	0

Alonso: "I don't feel ready" to win Dakar Rally 2020

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