Alonso '50/50' over extending Toyota stay into 2020

Fernando Alonso says the chances of extending his LMP1 deal with Toyota into a second FIA World Endurance Championship season remain “50/50” as he considers his future racing plans.

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Alonso linked up with Toyota for the 2018-19 WEC campaign, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans last June. He currently leads the WEC drivers’ standings alongside co-drivers Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.

Alonso is contracted to race for Toyota in three further WEC rounds to the end of the season, but said it was “50/50” as to whether he would remain with the Japanese marque for the ’19-20 season.

“Obviously I want to finish this Super Season in the best way possible,” Alonso said, as quoted by Sportscar365 at Daytona.

“We’re leading the world championship now. Le Mans will be the final race. It would be nice to have another opportunity to win it.

“Then until June I’m very, very busy. After June, it depends how it goes in the WEC championship, the Indy 500 in May.

“Maybe there are other challenges that may appear in the future [where] the WEC may be a priority or not.

“That will be the final decision.”

Alonso is currently bidding to become only the second driver in history to complete the ‘triple crown of motorsport’, needing only an Indianapolis 500 win to emulate Graham Hill’s achievement from 1972. He stopped racing in F1 at the end of last season after 17 years in the sport.

The Spaniard has no confirmed races this year beyond Le Mans in June, with the new WEC season set to begin at Silverstone on September 1.