Toyota Gazoo Racing have confirmed that two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso will compete in next year's running of the famous Dakar Rally.
Alonso joins Toyota's four-car line-up for the off-road endurance event, which is set to take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time next January.
Alongside Alonso and his navigator Marc Coma are Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel; Giniel de Villiers and Alex Haro; Bernhard Ten Brinke and Tom Colsoul.
The Japanese manufacturer has been competing in the Dakar Rally since 2012 and achieved its first overall victory earlier this year with Nasser and Mathieu.
Alonso has been involved in an intense training programme ahead of the event which has seen the Spaniard taking part in numerous national rallies.
It comes as Alonso attempts to try his hand at multiple disciplines following his retirement from F1 and it's his first major event since quitting the World Endurance Championship, where he won the title and Le Mans with Toyota.
Alonso is also expected to enter next year's Indianapolis 500 with McLaren following a disastrous effort this year, which saw him fail to qualify.
The 2020 Dakar Rally will be contested solely in Saudi Arabia for the first time, with the rally starting on January 5, 2020 in the western city of Jeddah. The route will head north, before turning south-east to the capital city of Riyadh where crews will enjoy the traditional event rest day.
The second half of the 2020 Dakar Rally traverses through Rub’ al Khali, also known as the “Empty Quarter”, the world’s largest contiguous sand desert, before finishing in the city of Al-Qiddiya on January 17.
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