Fernando Alonso believes racing in the World Endurance Championship could be an enticing alternative once he leaves F1.
This year the Spaniard will dovetail his McLaren commitment with a five-race schedule with Toyota, with an assault on Le Mans the center-piece of his WEC programme.
Alonso will be raking in the air miles in 2018, shifting from one category to the other but a full-time implication in endurance racing in the future is a prospect which appeals to the 36-year-old.
"The level demanded by F1, in terms of time and preparation, is huge, and after so many years, you realise that the time will come when that's just not possible anymore," Alonso told Spanish newspaper AS.
"It's a bit like Carlos Sainz, when he decided to leave the World Rally Championship. It didn't mean that he had elected Dakar as his future.
"It's just that he likes rallies, he'd been world champion, but you need to be training and traveling every day all of the time - then all of a sudden there's a rally which is held once a year, it's exotic and very prestigious and you have the opportunity to race in it.
"It's not really a case of making a conscious choice. You just like the competition and find it appealing because you enjoy racing and you have the chance to combine the two things and do something new which you haven't had the opportunity to do during many years of competition.
"The WEC gives you that. You have fewer races over the year. You can get a little of your life back but, at the same time, continue competing."
Beyond the worlds of F1 and endurance racing, Alonso will likely also seek another shot at the Indy 500 sometime in the future as part of his 'Triple Crown' ambitions.
For Fernando Alonso, life may very well start at 40!
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