Wayne Taylor Racing confirms Alonso, Kobayashi for Daytona 24h

Wayne Taylor Racing confirms a deal with Fernando Alonso and Kamui Kobayashi to include two famous drivers to its Daytona 24h line-up in January 2019.

Two Toyota FIA WEC employees and former F1 drivers will join WTR full-time drivers Jordan Taylor and Renger van der Zande in the #10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R. For Alonso, it would be his second Daytona 24h appearance, while Kobayashi will make a debut in the greatest North American endurance race.

“First, I have to thank Konica Minolta for yet again supporting WTR, and that I am extremely excited to have added Fernando Alonso and Kamui Kobayashi as teammates for Jordan and Renger at Daytona. Both Fernando and Kamui are the cream of the crop of world-class driving talent, not only in F1 but as current sportscar drivers. It’s taken a long time to put this all together and I’d like to thank everybody who made it all happen. Fernando drove at Daytona last year, and it’ll be the first time at the 24-hour for Kamui, who is a superstar driver who will figure it out quickly. We have plans to integrate both drivers into our program very efficiently and successfully. I’m absolutely ecstatic that we have been able to make this happen, and I can’t wait to get to Daytona,” said team owner Wayne Taylor.

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso contested at Daytona in January 2018, finishing 13th with United Autosport’s LMP2 prototype. In the meantime, he raced with McLaren in his last F1 season and made five FIA WEC starts with Toyota Gazoo Racing, including a victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans. His Toyota teammate Kamui Kobayashi was second at Le Mans in a sister car.

“I am very happy about joining the Konica Minolta Cadillac team and Wayne Taylor Racing to race together at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. This is undoubtedly one of the greatest races in American and world motorsport. Returning to the United States is always special. The atmosphere created by the fans is unique throughout an incredible weekend. I really hope to fight for the win, as well as having fun and putting a smile on the fans’ faces. I made my debut last year both in endurance races and with these sportscar prototypes, as well as on this track. I was left wanting much more after a brake issue ended our hopes of stepping on the podium. After an intense year in which I’ve competed in both Formula One and the WEC, I’m really looking forward to 2019 and attempting to conquer one of the most important races in the world. I’m brimming with hunger and desire and I can’t wait for the first race of next season and going out on track to battle with my Konica Minolta Cadillac teammates,” said Fernando Alonso.

“First of all, I would like to thank the Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team and Wayne Taylor for giving me this wonderful opportunity to race at the historic Daytona 24-hour. It is one of the most popular endurance races and I am so excited to have my Daytona debut with the 2017-winning team. This will also be my first race in the U.S. and I’m really looking forward to having a good race with the Konica Minolta Cadillac team,”  Kamui Kobayashi said.

Kamui Kobayashi

Photos: Toyota,