Fernando Alonso continued to build up preparations for his Dakar Rally debut in Saudi Arabia by taking third place in AlUla-Neom Cross-Country Rally and secure his inaugural rally podium finish in the process. The result comes at perfect timing less than two months before two-time Formula 1 world champion Alonso takes the wheel for Dakar Saudi Arabia 2020, the Middle East's first-ever edition of Dakar Rally, which is hosted by the Kingdom from Jan. 5 to 17. "It was an ideal preparation for Dakar as we discovered new terrain that we will come across again at Dakar," Alonso said. "It is a great feeling to finish third and get the first rally podium in my life. The fact that it happened here in Saudi Arabia at this time gives us a lot of confidence going into Dakar," Alonso added. Starting in AlUla and extending over 765km before the finale in Neom, AlUla-Neom Cross-Country Rally was contested across four stages over five days, and the former Formula 1 champion said it was an "excellent training" for him on a similar terrain and in close weather conditions to what would be expected at Dakar. Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi took first place at AlUla-Neom Cross-Country Rally, while compatriot Yasir Seaidan finished second, with Alonso rounding off the podium places. Alonso, who made his desert rally debut in Morocco last month, was co-driven by five-time Dakar bike winner Marc Coma, and the Spanish duo will be together again at Dakar Saudi Arabia as part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing team. The 2005 and 2006 Formula 1 champion got his campaign at AlUla-Neom Cross-Country Rally under way to a good start on Day 1 before taking the pace up a notch on the second and third days to set his team up for a podium finish on the last day. "We continue with our plan and preparations, step by step and adapting as fast as we can," Alonso said of his plans ahead of Dakar. Dakar Saudi Arabia 2020 will consist of 12 stages, allowing pilots coming from across six continents to discover Saudi Arabia's rich past, live its modernized present, and meet its future as they race through the Kingdom. The pilots will kick off Rally Dakar from Jeddah, the bride of the Red Sea, through to Neom, a fully sustainable city of the future, then pass by the historical sites of Riyadh to face the Empty Quarter, a huge desert of unbroken sand, to end in Qiddiya, a future entertainment, sports and cultural destination. — SG
