Fernando Alonso wins third world title in Le Mans

Fernando Alonso

Alonso wins third world title in Le Mans

WEC glory added to F1 titles!

Matthew Scott

Sunday 16 June 2019 15:07

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Fernando Alonso was crowned FIA world champion for a third time on Sunday as his #8 Toyota crew won the Le Mans 24 Hours for a second time to secure World Endurance Championship glory. The sister Toyota crew had led for much of the race, but a puncture with a little over an hour to go cost them.

Alonso, Kazuki Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi also won in Le Mans 12 months ago, handing the double world champion in F1 his second leg of the 'Triple Crown'.

He was unable to complete the job in Indianapolis this year as he failed to qualify for the Indy 500 racing for McLaren.

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However, he was back on the top step in Le Mans just three weeks later after a thrilling encounter in the flagship race of endurance racing.

The #8 crew would have won the title had they finished second, but victory capped off the achievement in style.

#8 @Toyota_Hybrid TS050 wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second time this Super season!
Well done to @alo_oficial, @kazuki_info and @Sebastien_buemi!#WEC #SuperFinale #LeMans24 pic.twitter.com/fEgnzaxiRc
— 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) June 16, 2019

The #7 Toyota team of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez had to settle for second place for the second year running in Le Mans, as their last lingering title hopes went up in smoke.

Having led for so long, even through an earlier puncture, it looked as though victory of the race would be the #7 car's but suffered a puncture while Lopez was at the wheel, allowing Nakajima to take the lead.

? #7 @Toyota_Hybrid has slowed down, before heading to the pit! The battle for the first position is back ON!#WEC #SuperFinale #LeMans24 pic.twitter.com/3wPl1GJA6j
— 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) June 16, 2019

The Japanese driver secures his first world championship with the success, while Buemi is crowned world champion for a second time, having won Formula E in 2015-16.

As well as last year's Le Mans, the #8 team also won in Spa-Francorchamps twice, as well as Sebring, while a victory at Silverstone was also chalked off as both Toyota cars were excluded on that occasion.