Alonso reignites old school racing spirit

The Citizen’s Motorsport Editor Andre de Kock tells great stories in general, but few are as sobering as one involving Tazio Nuvolari. Usually Andre would compare the Italian, who raced cars during the first half of the previous century, to the likes of Lewis Hamilton. Especially when we see pictures of Hamilton on the red carpet of some glitzy event sporting a tailored suit, diamond earrings, golden chain, state-of-the-art hairstyle and designer sunglasses.

‘‘Ja they don’t make these guys like they used to,’’ Andre would quip.

There’s a wonderful story of Novulari

driving a single seater in a cross country race back in the day, long before helmets of course. A low hanging branch smacked him in the face, causing his driving goggle to cut into his cheek. So as he continued, blood would gradually fill up the goggle and with that being an uncomfortable hindrance when racing, every now and again he would flip the frame to let the blood blow out into the wind.

‘‘I can’t imagine Hamilton doing that kind of thing.’’

Fernando Alonso busted that myth at the Dakar Rally.

Even with the backing of the 2019 winning constructor Toyota Gazoo Racing, there were many doubts whether Alonso had the mettle required to finish the world’s toughest rally. His race driving credentials are impeccable, but his sheer lack of seat time in a rally car, having only had his first outing in the Hilux outside Upington last year, was always the concern. Nevermind the daunting prospect of 12 gruesome stages over the world’s toughest terrain.

But in the end, apart from finishing and earning the top rookie award in the process, the Spaniard proved to be competitive too.

The one moment that stands out was his spectacular roll on stage 10 of which videos spread on social media like bush fires. Having approached the ridge of a dune too fast and at a peculiar angle, Alonso and co-driver Marc Coma’s Hilux made two full rolls to come to rest on its wheels again. They were hardly stationed for five seconds at the bottom of the dune before speeding off again. Alonso later stopped to remove the windscreen shattered in the crash which made the rest of the stage even harder.

Much to his delight, Andre discovered that balls of steel aren’t confined to mythical racing tales.

The jury’s still out on Hamilton though...

Read on Page 11 how five South Africans also finished the Dakar, including two women on motorcycles.