Fernando Alonso will continue his preparations for his debut in the Dakar Rally ne🐬xt 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 s🧸et his sights on the rally raidꦐ event following the conclusion of his LMP1 programme in June last year.

Alonso has en💯tered a handful of rallies over the past f❀ew months to gain experienced ahead of his Dakar debut, 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 January, wh♏en the Dakar Rally will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time.

“We are in Saudi A🐟rabia to compete in a round of the national rally. This is the first time for me in Saudi Arabia and I’ve been discovering t🐻he country and the terrain which we expect to see at the Dakar Rally in January,” Alonso said.

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

“Marc and I have been out here testing before the rally as we have a brand-ne🎐w 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 to make sure we are 100 percent ready.”

The rally will꧙ conclude on November 9 in the coastal city of Neom.