When he drove his first Grand Prix, euro cash hadn’t even been introduced yet. Colleagues who race against him today were not yet born or children who admire him.
Twice world champion, obsessed with success, a character driver who doesn’t avoid a duel. Fernando Alonso has been shaping Formula 1 for two decades. It was he who ended Michael Schumacher’s title era at Ferrari in 2005. It was he who despaired of Sebastian Vettel. Alonso delivered thrilling races, but also scandals and controversies.
This weekend, at the age of 43, Alonso will take part in his 400th Grand Prix. “Of course, titles and race victories are the most important thing for us drivers. At the same time, it shows my love for the sport and the discipline that I have had to demonstrate at a very high level for more than 20 years,” he says.
However, with starting problems. On Thursday, Alonso was supposed to talk about his anniversary at the press conference in Mexico City – but it wasn’t possible. He felt uncomfortable. It certainly couldn’t have been excitement; Alonso has been in the spotlight for completely different reasons in his career. And it wasn’t always good reasons for the Spaniard, who has a soft spot for Japan including a large samurai tattoo on his back.
The scandal file
After starting Formula 1 in 2001 with the Minardi, he moved to Renault, but initially only as a reserve driver. In 2003 Alonso became a regular driver and two years later he was crowned world champion. Michael Schumacher was defeated in the Ferrari in the world championship fight for the first time after five titles. In 2006, Alonso completed his second World Cup triumph and moved to McLaren. The double world champion as a superstar on the way to further success.
But then he got Lewis Hamilton, then 22 years old, at his side. What once began with a great show at the joint presentation in Valencia developed into a stable duel that escalated completely, costing both of them the title and clearing the way for Kimi Räikkönen in the Ferrari to become the 2007 world champion. What is unforgettable is Alonso’s pit stop in Hungary remained standing until Hamilton no longer had time for another quick lap in qualifying.
In the same year, the espionage affair surrounding McLaren and illegally obtained Ferrari data shocked Formula 1 – according to media reports, Alonso allegedly threatened to make known information he had about the matter. Ultimately, he was heard as a key witness and McLaren was sentenced to a record fine of $100 million.
Alonso left McLaren after one season and returned to Renault. In 2008 he won the Singapore Grand Prix. The premiere of the night race was heavily overshadowed by an accident scandal. Alonso had benefited from a crash involving his then teammate Nelson Piquet Junior, which he was said to have engineered at the behest of the team bosses, including Alonso’s manager Flavio Briatore. Even today, Felipe Massa (then Ferrari), who was beaten by Hamilton in the World Championship fight, is still trying to challenge the title decision because of this race.
Alonso’s desperate fight against Vettel
Alonso stayed at Renault for another year before moving to Ferrari. It wasn’t enough to win another title. The reason had a name: Sebastian Vettel. In his four titles in a row from 2010, the Hesse relegated Alonso to second place three times, and the Asturian finished fourth in the World Cup once. Alonso returned to McLaren for the 2015 season. But even then the longed-for next title didn’t materialize. Instead, he snubbed manufacturer Honda in Japan when he used pit radio to defame the car manufacturer’s drive as a “GP2 engine” in front of a global audience of millions.
After 2018, Alonso left Formula 1 for the first time, he won the 24 Hours of LeMans twice, he took part in the Dakar Rally, and in 2017 he also took part in the legendary Indy 500. In 2021 he returned to Formula 1 and joined Renault’s successor Alpine, and in 2023 he got the cockpit of the resigned Vettel at Aston Martin. He has 32 Grand Prix victories on his CV, 106 podium places and 22 pole positions.
“It’s crazy,” said compatriot Carlos Sainz in Mexico, where Alonso will compete with a special helmet design: “When I grew up and was nine or ten years old, he was already racing in Formula 1. And now I’m turning 30 Alonso is still driving.” Alonso himself said he has been behind the wheel for 40 years – he started karting at the age of three.
However, he once thought he would end his career in 2009 when he signed a three-year contract with McLaren after winning the 2006 World Cup. “I was 99 percent sure that 2009 would be my last Formula 1 season.”
But things turned out differently. He leaves it open how long he wants to continue. Above all, the commitment of star designer Adrian Newey from March 2025 continues to drive Alonso: “It is definitely the team of the future,” he says about Aston Martin. It will be interesting to see how long Alonso will be part of this future.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.