Fernando Alonso will test a Toyota LMP1 car in Bahrain on Sunday, representing his next step towards a drive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Alonso is aiming to win motorsport's unofficial Triple Crown by adding victories at Le Mans and the Indy 500 to his two wins at the Monaco Grand Prix. Although Alonso's participation at next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans has not been confirmed, Sunday's test is expected to be the first step towards a drive with the Japanese manufacturer next June.
He will drive this year's TS050 HYBRID, which took won Sunday's race in Bahrain by a lap over the nearest Porsche. Although Porsche is set to drop out of the LMP1 category next year, Toyota is expected to continue as the sole manufacturer team in the World Endurance Championship's top category.
Alonso visited Toyota's motorsport headquarters in Cologne on Tuesday for a seat fitting and was present in Bahrain on Saturday to watch the race.
"We are very excited that Fernando will test our car, "Hisatake Murata, Toyota team president, said. "When he visited us in Cologne everyone who met him could sense his enthusiasm and passion for our sport; he is a true racer.
"We very much respect his interest in different forms of motorsport and it is a pleasure to offer him this chance to drive a hybrid LMP1 car. It will be interesting to hear his feedback on the TS050 HYBRID."
Following Sunday's test, Alonso's next taste of endurance racing is scheduled to be his participation at the Daytona 24 Hours in an LMP2 car in January. Despite his interest in other categories, Alonso is scheduled to complete a full season with McLaren in Formula One next year and is not scheduled to swap the Monaco Grand Prix for the Indy 500 for a second year running. However, his participation at Le Mans would be possible as long as he is willing to take part in five consecutive race weekends during the summer.