Alonso will race in the 24 Hours of Daytona later this month as preparation for Le Mans, a race he wants to win along with Indy 500 to secure motor racing’s prestigious Triple Crown.

“[Daytona] is the first step in endurance racing and of course I hope I like it because Le Mans is another goal of mine,” Alonso said.

"If Le Mans works out this year, it would be great and hopefully next year I could be back at the Indy 500."

But Alonso has also been publicly warned about the risks of taking on too much in one season.

Webber raced 215 times in F1 before making the switch to World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2014.

The Australian has also entered Le Mans five times and believes trying to do so while also taking part in the F1 season is close to impossible. 

“It's a mistake,” Webber told Italian outlet Automoto.

“They are two totally different things that both absorb a lot of mental energy.

“I think if you're doing F1 you can't afford distractions - [F1] is so specific that it doesn't allow room.

"If he wins it would be amazing.

"He's a driver with talent unlike almost anyone else in the world.

“It would be fantastic, but it will not give him anything.”

However, there is precedent for Alonso’s plan. Nico Hulkenberg, while racing for Force India, completed two WEC races during the 2015 season including Le Mans, which he won with Webber’s former team Porsche.

“[It’s not the same because Hulkenberg] was with a second-rate team in F1,” Webber added.

“The pressures are different.

“He was also with the top Le Mans team and that simplified things a lot.”

Alonso’s first WEC race in Daytona will run from January 27 to January 28 before the Spaniard returns to Europe ahead of F1 pre-season testing.