Former LMP2 American Le Mans racer Gil de Ferran is expecting Fernando Alonso to have a ‘fantastic’ Daytona 24 Hours with United Autosports.

Alonso makes his race debut at the American track alongside team-mates Phil Hanson and Lando Norris in 2018 and qualified 13th, with Renger van der Zande on pole.

The Brazilian had experience of Alonso’s last extra-curricular activity outside Formula 1 when he mentored the Spaniard at the 2017 Indianapolis 500.

Alonso led 27 laps of the event before facing retirement with engine failure.

Speaking to Read Motorsport at the Autosport International show earlier this month, de Ferran believed that he could show similar Indy form again if he avoided drama.

“I think anything with four wheels, potentially even three wheels, two wheels, some control systems i.e. steering and pedals, every time you put Fernando inside one of those, it’s likely that he will do better than most,” he said.

“There’s no question in my mind that he will have a fantastic race if nothing goes wrong.”

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Endurance racing is one part of Alonso’s aim of the Triple Crown of joining his two Monaco Grand Prix wins with victories at Indy and Le Mans, and de Ferran believes that the goal remains possible.

“From a capability perspective, certainly he’s versatile enough, talented enough, intelligent enough and dedicated enough to be able to do it,” he added.

“The question is with all these accomplishments is, being in the right place at the right time, driving for the right team, and in the case of sportscar racing, having the right team-mates and so on and so forth.

“Is he capable of doing it?

“Absolutely.

“Will he do it?

“God only knows, because it depends on many more things.”