Fernando Alonso will continue 𝔉his preparations for his debut in the Dakar Rally next January by entering a local rally in Saudi♌ Arabia this week.

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Alonso confirmed last month he would be entering the Dakar Rally with Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2020, having set his sights on the rally raid event following the con꧂clusion of his LMP1 programme in June last year.

Alonso has entered a handful of rallies over the past few months to gain experi💫enced ahead of his Dakar debut,൩ and will continue his development at the Al Ula-Neom Cross-Country Rally in Saudi Arabia this week.

The 756 km rally will offer Alonso and co-driver Marc Coma a taste of the terrain and🌺 conditions to what they can expect in Janu🐠ary, when the Dakar Rally will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time.

“We are in Saudi Arabia to compete in a round of the national rally. This is the first time for me in Saudi Arabia and I’ve been discovering the countryꦡ and the terrain which we ex💦pect to see at the Dakar Rally in January,” Alonso said.

“It’s great to have a🔯n opportunity to race in Saudi Arabia in our continued preparations. It’s an all-new experience for me but I’m looking forward to it.

“Marc and I have been out here testing before the rally as we have a brand-🍸new car. We completed some shakedown mileage to make sure everything works because we will use the same car at the Dakar Rally, so it’s very important 𝔉to make sure we are 100 percent ready.”

Th✱e rally will conclude on November 9 in the coastal city of Neom.