Amazing Alonso wins Le Mans at first attempt

FERNANDO ALONSO yesterday won the Le Mans 24-hours race to put himself one victory away from completing the Triple Crown of motor sport.

The double Formula One world champion drove a fabulous night stint on his debut to set up the triumph for Toyota — their first in 20 years of trying.

Alonso, 36, (pictured celebrating above) has now won Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix (twice), meaning he needs to add the Indianapolis 500 to his c.v. to emulate Britain’s Graham hill, the only man to have won the Triple Crown.

Alonso is almost certain to compete in next year’s Indy 500.

A Toyota win was hardly unexpected because they were the only manufacturers in the top category and were alone in using the powerful hybrid engines.

But it still took an astonishing performance from Alonso to ensure that it was his Toyota team in the No 8 car, rather than the other Toyota in the No 7, that came out on top. The race appeared to be have slipped away from Alonso when his Swiss team-mate Sebastien Buemi was handed a 60- second stop-and-go penalty for speeding in a caution zone as dusk fell.

That relegated them to more than two minutes — or two-thirds of a lap — down. But Alonso drove the No 8 right back on to the tail of the No 7. The third member of the winning team, Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima, retook the lead in the 16th hour to lead home Toyota’s one-two.

‘I am still in shock, but it’s an amazing feeling,’ said Alonso. ‘It’s a shame Le Mans only happens once a year. They should hold it every two weeks.’

The comments reflected the Spaniard’s frustration at not winning an F1 race in five years, a drought that is likely to be extended by McLaren’s troubles.