24h Le Mans
Yesterday at the Bahrain circuit, Fernando Alonso (2018 24 Hours of Le Mans winner with Toyota and two-time world F1 champion) and Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time winner in NASCAR, the American stock car championship, switched cars for a rather unique day of testing.
The showing highly anticipated by fans finally went down yesterday at the Bahrain circuit, to which competitors in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) will return on 14 December 2019 for an eight-hour round. Fernando Alonso traded the McLaren he drove this season in Formula 1 for the #48 Chevrolet Camaro of American NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson, who in turn took the wheel of the F1.
After a quick trip to McLaren's technology center last week for a simulator session and to get his seat fitted, the Californian driver along with his Hendrick Motorsports teammates in NASCAR attended the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale before heading to Sakhir.
The two champions had a ball trying out a different discipline, but their competitive drive was never far behind. After each "stint," Fernando Alonso, who participated in his final F1 Grand Prix last Sunday (though he hasn't ruled out an eventual return), and Jimmie Johnson exchanged impressions in order to make progress throughout the session. By the end of the day, the NASCAR champion at the wheel of the orange single-seater finished two-tenths of a second from the Spanish driver.
The official Toyota driver improved his technique throughout the day, though he did admit having difficulty perfectly understanding how the Camaro handled, struggling with the car's lack of grip on the Bahrain track. His crew chief for the day praised Fernando Alonso's performance at the end of the experience.
After a rather full schedule in 2018, including both the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and Formula 1, the Spanish driver's calendar will be less hectic in 2019, with for now the 1,000 miles (or eight hours) of Sebring, the Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the Indianapolis 500 and of course the 87th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for a second win 15-16 June 2019. Currently in the lead of the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) Drivers standings, he is looking to participate once again in the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the same circuit that will open the NASCAR season on 17 February with the legendary Daytona 500.
PHOTO (Bahrain circuit Twitter account): The Hendrick Motorsports and McLaren teams pose with champions Jimmie Johnson and Fernando Alonso.
