Alonso targets continuing perfect start to WEC season

Fernando Alonso has set his sights on continuing his perfect start to the FIA World Endurance Championship campaign when the season resumes at Silverstone this weekend.

Alonso has been dovetailing his Formula 1 commitments with a WEC programme through 2018, racing for Toyota in the LMP1 class, and claimed victory on debut at Spa in May before winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time in June alongside co-drivers Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.

Already enjoying a lead of 20 points in the drivers' championship over the sister Toyota crew of Mike Conway, Jose Maria Lopez and Kamui Kobayashi, Alonso is eager to continue his perfect start to his rookie WEC campaign when the 13-month long season continues with the 6 Hours of Silverstone on Sunday.

"I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a TS050 HYBRID again after a few weeks away," Alonso said.

"Of course, I have been pretty busy and I know the team has too, preparing for the challenge at Silverstone. Unlike Le Mans, this is a track I know really well and I have already experienced the new track surface, so I hope that can help the team to get a head start.

"So far the WEC season has been perfect so I want to keep that going this weekend."

Toyota enjoyed comfortable margins of victory over its non-hybrid privateer LMP1 rivals at Spa and Le Mans, but one of Alonso's co-drivers, Sebastien Buemi, feels Silverstone may be a more stringent challenge.

"It’s going to be a challenge. We know Silverstone is never an easy track for the hybrid systems because we don’t have a lot of heavy braking, plus there has been an EoT [equivalence of technology] adjustment," Buemi said.

"It’s going to be a challenge and I’m looking forward to the fight. It will also be a pleasure to be there in August after years of visiting in April when it’s pretty cold, so I have high hopes for the weather."