Alonso replaced by Hartley at Toyota for 19/20 WEC season
Fernando Alonso says he intends to return the FIA World Endurance Championship in the future followi⛎ng a “short break” from the series.
Toyota an🔯nounced on Wednesday that two-time Formula 1 world champion Alonso would be .
Alonso won last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and jointly leads tꩵhe drivers’ championship with two rounds remaining in the WEC season, but has decided against continuing with Toyota intꦐo the 2019-20 campaign.
Speaking to select media including wuqian0821.com at Spa on Wednesday, Alonso said that committing to another year i𝔉n the WEC would have shut off some racing opportunities for next year ꦑthat he still hopes to pursue.
“Maybe there are different challenges in the near future, in the short term, that could be interesting for me - not o🐟nly with Toyota, but also outside the WEC,” Alonso said.
“To commit to the new season until June 2020 was closing some of the opportunitiℱes that𒈔 may come later in the year.”
However, Alonso stressed that he intends to return to the WEC in the future after taking a break from the ꦦseries, citing his enjoyment in the championship.
“I took the decision to stop this programme now, in the short-term. I think in the medium-term, long-term, 100 percent, I will come back to WEC,” Alons༒o said.
“I think it’s a series that I really enjoy. I like the typౠe of racing here. I like the unpredictable races you find with all the traffic and the things you need to chase.
“I like the team spirit, sharing the car with teammates. meI love the 🦩championship. I think the AC⛎O has been always very helpful to me and to everyone to accommodate this program.
“I definitely think it’s 🌸just a short break that I will take in WEC.”
Alonso ♎remained coy when asked about the other opportunities on the horizon for 2020, but said he is “very open” with his plans.
“As I said last year when I stopped ꦉFormula 1, I feel in the best moment of my career. I’ve never been as quick and as prepared as now,” Alonso said.
“I feel strong and ready for big﷽ challenges. It can be Formula 1 in 2020, it can be IndyCar. It can be different series outside all of this.
“If I remain free, in the second part of the year I will have that possibility to decide what I do in 2020. That’s the reason w🐷hy I couldn’t commit in May.
“I need to wait and see what is going to happen in theꩵ next couple of months. Being free of any obligations is the best way I could approach those opportunities. If I was already committed with something, maybe those opportunities would๊ not be there.
“I have two or three ideas on my mind that you will probably know in a couple of months. I am wo🐲rking on those and we will continue this challenge of mast♌ering different ways of motorsport.”
