Fernando Alonso may broaden his motorsport horizons beyond circuit racing in the future if the two-time F1 world champion takes a liking to driving a Dakar rally car.
Qatari rally driver Nasser Al-Attiyah, a clear favourite to win the 2019 Dakar Rally that is currently underway in Peru, could give Alonso an opportunity to test his Toyota Helix next month in Qatar.
Alonso came in contact with Al-Attiyah through a mutual friend, Spanish TV star and rally-raid competitor Jesus Calleja.
"Fernando is a very good friend of mine and we have talked [over] these weeks," Al-Attiyah told Autosport.
"He told me that he wanted to test my car and I told him to let me finish Dakar and then we would talk to make it happen.
"We are talking between him, me and Jesus - who is another great friend.
"We are both Gazoo Racing drivers, but I still do not know if Toyota will want to get involved in the test.
"The idea is to do it before the Qatar Rally, or just after."
Indeed, Alonso's World Endurance Racing relationship with Toyota could facilitate the test.
The former F1 driver will start his season at Daytona at the end of the month with Wayne Taylor Racing before joining Toyota once again for the Sebring WEC round scheduled in March.
Expecting Alonso to race off sometime in the future into the Dakar's trails in the wilderness could be a stretch however.
"I need to consider and evaluate [several options] but there are things I need to be honest and know that I don't have the talent to do," he said back in September, alluding to a potential Dakar bid.
"I need to be honest with myself, and need to know where my limits are, and I don't have the talent to do that."
A proper test may just get Fernando to change his mind…
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