Following his shock exploits into American racing in 2017 - contesting the Indianapolis 500 instead of the Monaco Grand Prix - Alonso’🦄s goal has been crystal clear. He is determined to become just the second driver after Graham Hill to successfully complete th🌌e unofficial ‘triple crown of motorsport’ (victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indy 500 and Monaco Grand Prix).

While Honda engine trouble - a recurrent theme of the last three 🦋years - blighted Alonso’s quest to win the Indy 500 at the first attempt last year, that failed to deter him from going back for another bite of the triple crown in 2018, although on this occasion he won’t be racing on the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.

For this year (at least) Alonso is focusing on another prize, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Arguably, this could be an *easier* feat to achieve on debut compared to his ventures at the Indy 500, with Toyota the sole-remaining manufacturer squad in the leading LMP1 class f✨ollowing the withdrawal ꧂of German giants Porsche and Audi.

But this competition-loving, adrenaline-junkie isn’t stopping there in his aim of being recognised as a ‘complete racing driver’. On top of his maiden Le Mans entry, Alonso will contest a further four World Endurance Champi😼onship outings with Toyota, which he will dovetail alongside his McLaren commitmen🔯ts in F1’s 21-race calendar.

"I've never been shy about my aim of winning motorsport's 'triple crown’. We tried for Indy last year, came close, but just 🐟missed out," Alonso said following the ꦫannouncement of his Le Mans Toyota deal.

"This year I have the chance thanks to McLaren to race for the wi𒊎n at Le Mans. It is a big challenge - much can go wrong - but I am ready, prepared and looking forward to the fight.”

Alonso has been backed all the way in his quest by McLaren,🃏 with executive director Zak Brown confident the Spaniard’s busy schedule wi🔜ll not have a negative impact on his F1 commitments.

"It’s no secret that Fernando has wanted to contest the Le Mans 24 Hours,” Brown said. “And I think everybody within our organisation appreciates that a motivated, hungry and happy world-class driver su♊ch as Fernando is a formidable asset for any team in F1.

“Last year, we came to the joint decision to go racing with Fernando at the Indy 500 rathe🀅r than at the Monaco Grand Prix. But we’ve always said that we would consider each opportunity on a case-by-case🅘 basis, and we both know that, in 2018, our core priority is success in F1.

“Equally important is the c♕onfidence that nothing detracts from our number one goal of F1. After proper evaluation, we are s🧜atisfied that this campaign does not do that, and that McLaren’s best interests prevail.”

Alonso began his preparations for 2018 by competing in January's Rolex 24 at Dayt🧸ona with Brown’s United Autosports run outfit. In total, he will contest 27 events throughout the campaign, including five consecutive race weekends between the Canadian Grand Prix in June and the British Grand Prixܫ in July.

If Alonso is looking for a word of advice for tackling such an intensive race calendar he can take a quick 🎀trip down the F1 paddock to Toro Rosso. Having contested eight straight race weeke𝓡nds towards the end of 2018 as he dovetailed his new F1 gig at the Italian squad alongside his Porsche WEC commitments, Brendon Hartley is a man who knows first-hand the effects joint-programmes can have on a driver.

“I didn’t realise un🤪til after the last race last year how tired I was. I was running on adrenaline and Red Bull and just getting through it,” he commented during 2018 F1 pre-season testing.

"When I look back I feel a different man now in terms of just feeling f💎it, fresh and healthy and ready to go. After eight races in a row last year, across different continents and diffꦜerent cars I was struggling.”

Alonso’s 2018ꦉ calen🍃dar (excluding ISMA, F1 and WEC test dates) in full:

              1.           January 27-28 - Daytona 24 Hours (ISMA) Completed

        🍒;     &🌟nbsp;2.           March 25 - Australian Grand Prix (F1)

&ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚnbsp;             3.           April 8 - Bahrain Grand Prix (F1)

   &nb🎀sp;          4.         &nbs﷽p; April 15 - Chinese Grand Prix (F1)

           &nbಞsp;  5.           April 29 - Azerbaijan Grand Prix (F1)

              6.           May 4 - Six Ho🔥urs of Spa Francorchamps (WEC)

          🅠    7.           May 13 - Spanish Grand Prix (F1)

           &nb🤡sp;  8.     🐲;      May 27 - Monaco Grand Prix (F1)

  &ꦗnbsp;           9.           June 10 - Canadian Grand Prix (F1)

         🦹     10.         June 16-17 - 24 Hours of Le Mans (WEC)

    &nbs♛p;         11.  &nꦉbsp;      June 24 - French Grand Prix (F1)

       &nbs🙈p;      12. &nb🔥sp;       July 1 - Austrian Grand Prix (F1)

             ꦯ 🔴13.         July 8 - British Grand Prix (F1)

              14.         July 22 - German Grand Prix (Fಞ1)

              15.         J💮uly 29 - Hungarian Grand Prix (F1)

       &nb♊sp;      16.         August 19 - Six Hours of Silverstone (WEC)

              17.         August 2𝔍6 - Belgian Grand Prix (F1)

      &nbꦫsp;       18.         Sep🤡tember 2 - Italian Grand Prix (F1)

      &nb♒sp;       19.         September 16 - Singapore Grand Prix (F1)

    &nbs🍷p;       &🉐nbsp; 20.         September 30 - Russian Grand Prix (F1)

              21.      &nbs🦄p;  October 7 - Japanese Grand Prix (F1)

              22.         October 14 - Six Hours of Fu𒆙ji (WEC)

              23.         October 21 - United States Grand Prix (💮F1)

       💟;       24.         October 28 - Me♚xican Grand Prix (F1)

  &nb♒sp;           25.         November 🎀11 - Brazilian Grand Prix (F1)

          &nb🐼sp;   26.        ꦜ; November 18 - Six Hours of Shanghai (WEC)

              27.     &nཧbsp;   November 25 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (F1)