Fernando Alonso completed the tenth stage of the Dakar Rally without a windshield after rolling his Toyota Hilux down the side of a sand dune.
The moment, caught on camera from several angles, saw Alonso's truck lose control as he crested the dune and barrel-roll down the other side before coming to a rest on four wheels and driving off. The stage was eventually cut short after gale-force winds kicked up sandstorms in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Not a smooth start of the stage for @alo_oficial!
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 15, 2020
He dropped over 1h with an early crash and resumed driving without a windshield!
Live race updates ➡ https://t.co/qTNrMHIKg1#Dakar2020 pic.twitter.com/zZFh6gvbq5
Alonso's accident damaged the front of the truck, including smashing the windscreen, but he was able to make the finish, placing 14th in the overall classification at the end of the day. The two-time Formula One world champion, who is making his debut in the Dakar Rally this year, later described the incident as an "initial stumble" in an Instagram post with rally leader Carlos Sainz Sr.
It is the second time Alonso has come across trouble on the rally after he hit a ditch and lost a wheel on the second stage last week. Posts on social media showed him patching up the Toyota Hilux after the incident, but he ultimately had to wait for a repair crew, costing him two hours and dropping him down the order.
The rally, which is taking place in Saudi Arabia for the first time this year, continues until Jan.17, when it concludes after 12 stages of competition.