Max Verstappen prepares an incredible project with Alonso, which to many is a surprise and shock. World Champion for the second year running, Max Verstappen is gradually creating his F1 legacy. At 25 years of age, the Dutchman still has some great years ahead of him. What’s more, he has signed a multi-year contract with Red Bull that runs until 2028.

However, he is not planning to stay in F1 for too long and could bounce back in another category with Fernando Alonso.

Max Verstappen is thrilled. The Dutchman retained his world championship title this season after crushing the competition. Now he has achieved his dream twice and this could put his F1 future in doubt. Lewis Hamilton’s rival does not want to stay in Formula One for long and he would like to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, together with his father but also with a certain Fernando Alonso.

“I really want to do endurance racing”

The two-time world champion could try his hand at a new discipline sooner than expected, alongside his current contract with Red Bull. And for good reason, his father is getting on in years and he would like to do a legendary race alongside him.

“Everyone knows now that I don’t want to do Formula 1 at Fernando’s age and that I have other desires in motorsport.

“I have said that I really want to do endurance racing at some point. This is actually moving forward for several reasons. Maybe a few more years, two or three years before I want to do this.

“One of the reasons I’m going to try and do it soon, before my F1 contract is up, is that my father (Jos) is past 50. He’s getting too old and I want to do it with him,” revealed Max Verstappen to the French press.

Verstappen and Alonso’s plans

Fernando Alonso has been calling on Max Verstappen to drive with him in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. So the Dutchman could offer him to join the duo he forms with his father to make up a competitive trio.

“Fernando is fast and he is always very motivated. Every time I talk to him, it’s like talking to a thirty-year-old who is still in the middle of his career. He loves it. That’s why he does it. We would make a great trio,” said Verstappen.

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Fernando Alonso’s endurance record

Alonso made his sports car endurance racing debut at the 1999 24 Hours of Barcelona. Paired with Antonio García, Salvi Delmuns and the journalist Pedro Fermín Flores, the quartet third in the M10 class and tenth overall in a Hyundai Accent.

Sixteen years later, Alonso was due to enter the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche’s Le Mans Prototype 1 team before Honda blocked it.

In September 2017, Alonso told the McLaren chief executive offer Zak Brown he wanted to drive in the 2018 24 Hours of Daytona as preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Brown agreed to the idea and assigned Alonso to drive for United Autosports. 

Alonso, Philip Hanson and McLaren’s reserve driver Lando Norris qualified 13th and finished 38th after multiple mechanical issues affected the car during the race.

Alonso returned to race in the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing. He shared a Cadillac DPi-V.R with Kamui Kobayashi, Renger van der Zande and Jordan Taylor; the quartet completed 593 laps to win the rain-shortened event.

In January 2018, McLaren and Toyota reached an agreement to allow Alonso to enter the full 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship to increase his motivation. He joined Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima in Toyota’s No. 8 TS050 Hybrid and replaced Anthony Davidson.

Alonso, Buemi and Nakajima took 198 points and the LMP1 Drivers’ Championship with five victories including the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans over the eight round season, though this was enabled by their teammates Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López suffering a sensor issue while leading the 2019 6 Hours of Spa and then suffering a puncture while comfortably leading the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans with an hour remaining.