Fernando Alonso

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born into a working-class family in Oviedo, Alonso began karting at seven after his sister Lorena showed no interest. His father, José Luis, built the first kart and served as mechanic, manager, and accountant, while his mother Ana sewed his racing overalls. Financial struggles meant they could not afford rain tyres, forcing young Fernando to adapt on slicks in wet conditions. He won three successive Spanish Junior Championships from 1993 to 1995 and the CIK-FIA Five Continents Cup in 1996. At age 17, he moved to car racing, winning the 1999 Euro Open by Nissan title with six wins and nine pole positions before finishing fourth in International Formula 3000.

In Their Own Story

Alonso's F1 journey began with Minardi in 2001 as a non-scoring rookie. Promoted to Renault in 2003, he became the youngest polesitter at the Malaysian Grand Prix and youngest race winner at the Hungarian Grand Prix. In 2005, he won seven races to claim his maiden title, defeating Kimi Räikkönen. He defended this crown in 2006 against Michael Schumacher. A move to McLaren in 2007 ended with him finishing one point behind champion Kimi Räikkönen amidst team tensions. Back at Renault, he won the controversial 2008 Singapore Grand Prix before a winless 2010 season at Ferrari where he finished runner-up to Sebastian Vettel by just three points in 2012 and again in 2013.

Reader's Guide

Alonso's career is defined by his ability to maximize machinery performance across diverse eras. After a winless 2014 with Ferrari under new engine rules, he joined McLaren-Honda (2015–2018) for limited success before his first retirement to focus on sportscar racing. He won the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship and two Le Mans titles with Toyota, plus the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019. Returning to F1 in 2021 with Alpine, he secured his first podium in seven years at the Qatar Grand Prix and broke the record for most career starts in 2022. Joining Aston Martin in 2023, he achieved several podiums, finishing fourth in the championship and scoring his 100th career podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Did You Know?

• Alonso is the only driver to have won both the Formula One World Drivers' Championship and the World Sportscar/World Endurance Drivers' Championship.
• He became the first driver in history to contest 400 Grands Prix in 2024.
• His father rejected an offer for him to be a goalkeeper for RC Celta de Vigo football club so he could focus on karting.
• Alonso entered the Indianapolis 500 three times, in 2017, 2019, and 2020.
• He has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005.