Fernando Alonso: The Life Story Behind Spain's F1 Star

Fernando Alonso is one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers in history, and the most complete racer of his generation. He won two world championships with Renault, in 2005 and 2006, beating Michael Schumacher, the greatest driver ever, he has won 32 Grands Prix, he has won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, and he is still racing in Formula 1 in his forties, with Aston Martin, a longevity that is unmatched, and a competitiveness that has never faded, even after more than twenty years in the sport.

Born on 29 July 1981 in Oviedo, Spain, Alonso grew up in a family where motorsport mattered, his father José Luis was a mechanic who built karts, and he started karting at three, racing from a young age, and winning championships, before moving to single-seaters, and to Formula 1, where he made his debut in 2001, with Minardi, at nineteen, the youngest driver on the grid, a debut that announced him as a star. This is the story of Fernando.

Oviedo, Spain, and the Karts

Alonso was born in Oviedo, in northern Spain, and he grew up in a family where motorsport was everything. His father, José Luis, was a mechanic who built a kart for Fernando’s older sister, Lorena, but she did not want to race, so Fernando took it, at three, and he was a natural, winning races, and championships, in Spain and Europe, a child prodigy who was faster than drivers much older than him, and who was tipped to become a star.

He won the Spanish karting championship, and the world karting championship, and he moved to single-seaters in 1999, winning the Euro Open by Nissan championship, and the International Formula 3000 championship in 2000, a rapid rise, and he made his Formula 1 debut in 2001, with Minardi, at nineteen, scoring no points, in a slow car, but showing a talent that impressed everyone, and earning a move to Renault, as a test driver, and then as a race driver, in 2003.

The move to Minardi in 2001 was a turning point for Fernando Alonso, because it put him in a team that played to his strengths, and a league in Spain that tested him, every week, and Fernando Alonso rose to that test, proving that he belonged, at the highest level, and that he was ready, for whatever came next, at Minardi and beyond. He made his debut in Formula 1, at nineteen, in a slow car, but showing a talent that impressed everyone. It was at Minardi that Fernando Alonso became the player the world would come to know, and Minardi played its part, in making him.

The Rise: Renault, the First Win, and the Champion

Alonso’s rise came in 2003 and 2004, when he joined Renault, and won his first Grand Prix in Hungary in 2003, becoming the youngest winner in Formula 1 history, at twenty-two, a record he held until Vettel broke it in 2008, and he finished fourth in the championship, a remarkable achievement for a young driver in a midfield team, and one that announced him as a future champion.

The rise became a triumph in 2005, when he won the world championship with Renault, beating Michael Schumacher, and becoming the youngest world champion in history, at twenty-four, a record he held until Vettel broke it in 2010, and the first Spanish driver ever to win the title, a triumph that made him a hero in Spain, and a star around the world, because he had beaten the greatest driver ever, in a fair fight, and he had won.

Playing for Renault from 2003–2006 taught Fernando Alonso lessons that no training ground could teach, about winning, about losing, and about standing up, when the pressure was greatest, and Fernando Alonso carried those lessons with him, into every match, that followed, in his long, and remarkable, career. He won two world championships, in 2005 and 2006, beating Michael Schumacher, and becoming a hero in Spain. The time at Renault shaped Fernando Alonso as a player, and as a person, and it is a period Fernando Alonso still looks back on, with pride, and with gratitude.

When Fernando Alonso arrived at McLaren in 2007, he found a club that believed in him, and Fernando Alonso repaid that faith with interest, playing with a hunger the fans of McLaren noticed at once, and a quality the coaches at McLaren trusted, in match after match, as Fernando Alonso grew into a player the team could build around. He won four races, but lost the championship by one point, in a season of controversy with Lewis Hamilton. Those years at McLaren remain a proud chapter in the story of Fernando Alonso, and in the history of McLaren itself.

The Peak: Two Titles, Ferrari, and the Ageless Racer

Alonso’s peak came in 2005 and 2006, when he won two consecutive world championships with Renault, beating Schumacher in both years, a feat that had never been done before, because Schumacher had won five titles in a row, and Alonso was the driver who stopped him, a triumph that made him one of the greatest drivers ever, at twenty-five, with two titles, and 15 wins, and a reputation as the most complete racer in the sport.

He moved to McLaren in 2007, and to Ferrari in 2010, chasing more titles, and he came close, losing the championship in the final race in 2010, 2012, and 2013, to Vettel, a frustration, because he was driving brilliantly, in a slower car, and he was beaten by a faster Red Bull, a pattern that defined his Ferrari years, and one that made people say he was the best driver, in the wrong car, at the wrong time, a tragedy, for a driver of his talent.

He left Formula 1 in 2018, and won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, in 2018 and 2019, with Toyota, and the World Endurance Championship, a triumph that made him one of the few drivers to win in F1 and at Le Mans, and he returned to Formula 1 in 2021, with Alpine, and then Aston Martin, scoring podiums in 2023, at forty-one, a comeback that proved his class, and his competitiveness, and one that made him the oldest driver on the grid, and still one of the best.

Fernando Alonso went into the F1 World Championship in 2005 with expectation on his shoulders, and Fernando Alonso carried it, with a calm that impressed everyone, and a quality that decided matches, when they mattered most. He won his first title, beating Schumacher, and becoming the youngest champion in history. The F1 World Championship of 2005 added another chapter to the story of Fernando Alonso, and it is one that his fans, will never forget.

The F1 World Championship in 2006 was one of the defining tournaments of the career of Fernando Alonso, because the whole world was watching, and Fernando Alonso showed, that he could perform, on the biggest stage, against the best, in his sport. He won his second title, beating Schumacher again, in a season that went to the final race. That tournament is still talked about, when fans remember the best of Fernando Alonso, and the best of his sport.

Year after year, the story was the same, because Fernando Alonso was there, at the top, competing, winning, and leading, and that longevity is what separates the great from the good, in Spain and everywhere, because anyone can have one great season, but only the best, can have ten, and Fernando Alonso had them, in Spain and around the world.

In Formula 1, a career is judged by wins, and championships, and Fernando Alonso earned them, in the biggest races, against the best drivers, in the world, and that is why the name of Fernando Alonso is remembered, by fans, in every country, where the sport is watched, and why young drivers, in Spain, still study, the way Fernando Alonso raced.

Spain: The Hero, the Pioneer, and the Legend

For Spain, Alonso is a hero and a legend, the first Spanish driver ever to win the Formula 1 world championship, and the driver who put Spanish motorsport on the map, inspiring a generation of young Spaniards to take up karting, and to dream of Formula 1. He is loved in Spain, and he is respected around the world, for his speed, his intelligence, and his competitiveness, a driver who is a role model, on and off the track, and a man who is a national icon, in a country where football is king, but Alonso is the king of motorsport.

He has also won the Le Mans 24 Hours, and he has competed in the Indianapolis 500, and the Dakar Rally, a versatility that is rare, and one that shows his love of racing, and his desire to win, in any car, on any track, in any discipline, a racer, in the truest sense, and one who will be remembered as one of the greatest, not just in Formula 1, but in motorsport, as a whole.

At the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2018, Fernando Alonso proved, once again, that he was a player for the big occasion, delivering when the pressure was highest, and the stakes were greatest, in front of millions, around the world. He won the race with Toyota, for the first time, in his debut at the event. It was a performance that Fernando Alonso earned, and one that showed the world, exactly what Fernando Alonso could do.

The F1 World Championship of 2012 remains a vivid memory for the fans of Fernando Alonso, because it was a tournament where Fernando Alonso played with a freedom, a bravery, and a skill, that made everyone take notice, of what he could do. He lost the title by three points to Vettel, in the final race in Brazil, after a brilliant season in a slower Ferrari. The F1 World Championship of 2012 added another chapter to the story of Fernando Alonso, and it is one that his fans, will never forget.

Fernando Alonso went into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2023 with expectation on his shoulders, and Fernando Alonso carried it, with a calm that impressed everyone, and a quality that decided matches, when they mattered most. He scored a podium with Aston Martin, at forty-one, proving he was still one of the best. That tournament is still talked about, when fans remember the best of Fernando Alonso, and the best of his sport.

Racecraft, Intelligence, and the Art of the Complete Racer

Alonso’s game is built on racecraft and intelligence. He is the best starter in Formula 1, gaining positions on the first lap, again and again, and he is a superb overtaker, with a bravery and a precision that make him almost impossible to defend against, and he is a master of tyre management, and race strategy, a driver who thinks his way through a race, and who wins, not just with speed, but with his brain, a quality that is rare, and one that makes him the most complete racer of his generation.

What makes him special is his competitiveness and his longevity. He has raced in Formula 1 for more than twenty years, and he is still one of the best, at forty-four, a driver who never gives up, and who fights for every position, in every race, a mentality that is unmatched, and one that has made him a legend, because he is still there, still racing, still winning podiums, when drivers half his age have retired, and gone home.

In 2005, Fernando Alonso won the F1 World Championship as the champion with Renault, beating Michael Schumacher, and becoming the youngest champion in history, at twenty-four. The F1 World Championship of 2005 stands out in the career of Fernando Alonso, because it was won against the best, in the biggest arena, and it took everything Fernando Alonso had, to win it, and the victory made him a hero, at home, and a star, around the world. The F1 World Championship of 2005 is the kind of triumph that defines a career, and Fernando Alonso earned it, with years of work, and a performance, that will be remembered.

In 2006, Fernando Alonso won the F1 World Championship as the champion with Renault, beating Schumacher again, winning two titles in a row. Fernando Alonso still talks about the F1 World Championship in 2006 as one of the great days of his life, because the whole team, the whole country, and the whole sport, were watching, and Fernando Alonso delivered, with a performance that was calm, brave, and brilliant, when the pressure was greatest. That F1 World Championship remains a landmark in the story of Fernando Alonso, and in the history of Spain sport.

In 2018, Fernando Alonso won the Le Mans 24 Hours as a winner with Toyota, winning the greatest endurance race in the world, for the first time. Winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2018 changed the career of Fernando Alonso, because it turned promise into proof, and talent into titles, and it gave Fernando Alonso the confidence, to believe that he could win, again, and again, at the highest level, of his sport. It was a win that Fernando Alonso earned, and one that no one can ever take away from Fernando Alonso.

The Lost Titles, the McLaren-Honda, and the Wilderness

Alonso’s career has had real frustrations. He lost the championship in the final race in 2010, 2012, and 2013, to Vettel, in seasons where he drove brilliantly, in a slower Ferrari, and he was beaten by a faster Red Bull, a pattern that defined his Ferrari years, and one that made people say he was the best driver, in the wrong car, and he left Ferrari in 2014, joining McLaren-Honda, a move that was a disaster, because the Honda engine was slow and unreliable, and he spent four years in the midfield, a wilderness, for a two-time champion, and a frustration that cost him the best years of his career.

There was also the crash at the Indianapolis 500 in 2017, when his engine failed, while he was leading, a heartbreak, because he was chasing the Triple Crown, of Monaco, Le Mans, and Indianapolis, a feat that only Graham Hill has achieved, and he came close, but he did not win, and he left Formula 1 in 2018, a farewell that felt premature, for a driver of his talent, and one that made the sport poorer, until he returned, in 2021, and proved he was still one of the best.

The numbers tell their own story, for Fernando Alonso. He was the youngest world champion in F1 history, at 24, in 2005, a record he held until Vettel in 2010. He won two world championships, in 2005 and 2006, beating Michael Schumacher, the greatest driver ever. He has won 32 Grands Prix, and he has started more than 400 races, the most in F1 history. He won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, in 2018 and 2019, and the World Endurance Championship in 2019. He is the oldest driver on the F1 grid, still racing at 44, with Aston Martin, and still scoring podiums.

Those numbers matter, because they were not collected in easy matches, against weak opponents, but in the biggest tournaments, against the best players, in Spain and around the world, and that is why they stand, as proof, of what Fernando Alonso achieved, in his career.

Spain’s Greatest Ever, and a Legend of Motorsport

Alonso is widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers in history, and he is a two-time world champion, with 32 wins, and 22 pole positions, and a driver who beat Schumacher, the greatest ever, in a fair fight, twice, a feat that no one else has achieved, and one that puts him among the greats, a racer who is complete, in every sense, fast, intelligent, brave, and relentless, a driver who is still racing, in his forties, and still one of the best.

His legacy is also about Spain, because he is the first Spanish driver ever to win the title, and he put Spanish motorsport on the map, inspiring a generation of young drivers, from Carlos Sainz to the karting kids in Oviedo, all of whom owe something to Fernando. Young drivers still study his racecraft, and they learn that intelligence and bravery win races, and that Alonso is the player to follow, if they want to become a complete racer.

In 2019, Fernando Alonso won the Le Mans 24 Hours as a winner with Toyota, defending his title, and winning the World Endurance Championship. The Le Mans 24 Hours in 2019 was a triumph that Fernando Alonso will never forget, because it came after years of work, and it proved that Fernando Alonso belonged, among the best, in his sport, and the medal, the trophy, and the memory, remain among the proudest, of his whole career. The Le Mans 24 Hours of 2019 is the kind of triumph that defines a career, and Fernando Alonso earned it, with years of work, and a performance, that will be remembered.

In 2003, Fernando Alonso won the Hungarian Grand Prix win as a winner with Renault, becoming the youngest winner in F1 history, at twenty-two. When Fernando Alonso won the Hungarian Grand Prix win in 2003, it was the reward for everything he had given to the game, the training, the sacrifice, and the belief, and it showed the world, in Spain and everywhere, that Fernando Alonso was not just a talented player, but a winner, who could deliver, when it mattered most. That Hungarian Grand Prix win remains a landmark in the story of Fernando Alonso, and in the history of Spain sport.

In 2013, Fernando Alonso won the Spanish Grand Prix win as a winner with Ferrari, winning his home race for the second time, in Barcelona. The Spanish Grand Prix win of 2013 stands out in the career of Fernando Alonso, because it was won against the best, in the biggest arena, and it took everything Fernando Alonso had, to win it, and the victory made him a hero, at home, and a star, around the world. It was a win that Fernando Alonso earned, and one that no one can ever take away from Fernando Alonso.

Beyond the headline triumphs, there were more, because Fernando Alonso also won the Spanish Grand Prix win in 2013; the Monaco Grand Prix win in 2006; the World Endurance Championship in 2019, honours that are easy to overlook, beside the biggest titles, but ones that show the depth, and the consistency, of the career of Fernando Alonso, year after year, tournament after tournament, at the highest level.

Count the honours, and the scale of the career of Fernando Alonso becomes clear, because the list runs to 8 major titles, medals, and awards, each one earned, in competition, against the best, in Spain and the world, and each one a chapter, in a story, that few players, in any sport, can match, for length, for quality, and for consistency, over so many years, and among them, the F1 World Championship in 2005 stands tall, for Fernando Alonso and for Spain.

The journey of Fernando Alonso took him from Minardi to Aston Martin, with stops at Renault, McLaren, Ferrari, along the way, and each stop taught Fernando Alonso something new, about the game, about himself, and about winning, at the highest level, in Spain and around the world, a journey that made him the player, and the person, he is today.

My Take:

I have thought a lot about what Fernando Alonso means, to his sport, and to his country, and this is what I believe.

What I admire most about Alonso is the completeness, because he is the most complete racer of his generation, fast, intelligent, brave, and relentless, a driver who can win in Formula 1, at Le Mans, and in any car, on any track, and who is still racing in his forties, with Aston Martin, scoring podiums, when drivers half his age have retired. When I look at young drivers who want to be great, I tell them to watch Fernando, because completeness is the hardest skill to learn, and he has it, in abundance, and that is why he is a legend.

The first title in 2005 is the moment that defines him, because he beat Schumacher, the greatest driver ever, in a fair fight, and he became the youngest champion in history, at twenty-four, and the first Spanish driver ever to win the title, a triumph that made him a hero in Spain, and one that will be remembered when his career is over, as the day Fernando beat the best, and became the best, himself.

I also think Alonso is underrated as a racer, because people remember the lost titles, but they forget the brilliance, the starts, the overtakes, the tyre management, and the racecraft that made him the best starter in Formula 1, and one of the best overtakers ever, a driver who could win races in a slower car, because he was smarter, and braver, than anyone else on the grid, and that is why he is loved, in Spain and around the world.

If I have a criticism, it is only the choices, because he left Renault, he left Ferrari, and he joined McLaren-Honda, a move that cost him four years, in the midfield, a wilderness for a two-time champion, and one that may have cost him more titles, because he was the best driver, in the wrong car, at the wrong time, too often. But the two titles are his, and Le Mans is his, and those are achievements that will last forever, and that is why he is a legend, and why he is still racing, at forty-four, because he loves it, and he is still one of the best.

When I think about the first title in 2005, I think about what it teaches, because Alonso won the championship, beating Schumacher, and becoming the youngest champion in history, at twenty-four, and the first Spanish driver ever to win the title, a triumph that made him a hero in Spain. And that is the lesson, that talent opens the door, but character walks through it, and Fernando Alonso walked through it, again and again, in his career.

The moment I keep coming back to is the Le Mans win in 2018, because Alonso won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota, in his debut, a triumph that made him one of the few drivers to win in F1 and at Le Mans, and one that showed his versatility as a racer. It is the kind of moment that stays with you, long after the match is over, and it is why Fernando Alonso matters, not just as a player, but as an example, for anyone, who wants to be great.

Take the podium in 2023, and look at it closely, because Alonso scored eight podiums with Aston Martin, at forty-one, proving that he was still one of the best drivers in the world, after more than twenty years in Formula 1. That is not luck, it is preparation, meeting opportunity, and Fernando Alonso was prepared, because he had done the work, for years, before that moment, ever arrived.

I will never forget the battle with Schumacher in 2006, because Alonso beat Schumacher in a season-long fight, winning the title in the final race in Brazil, a duel that is remembered as one of the greatest in F1 history, between the champion and the challenger. Moments like that are why sport matters, and why Fernando Alonso will be remembered, long after the final whistle, of his final match, has blown.

The numbers say it plainly, because He was the youngest world champion in F1 history, at 24, in 2005, a record he held until Vettel in 2010. And numbers do not lie, they do not flatter, and they do not forget, and that is why the record of Fernando Alonso will stand, for years, to come.

One record, more than any other, sums up Fernando Alonso, because He won two world championships, in 2005 and 2006, beating Michael Schumacher, the greatest driver ever. It is the kind of achievement that takes a whole career, to earn, and a whole lifetime, to appreciate, and Fernando Alonso earned it, the hard way.

Look at the record, and look at what it means, because He has won 32 Grands Prix, and he has started more than 400 races, the most in F1 history. That is not a number on a page, it is a career, in miniature, and it is why Fernando Alonso belongs, among the greats, of his sport.

The numbers say it plainly, because He won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, in 2018 and 2019, and the World Endurance Championship in 2019. And numbers do not lie, they do not flatter, and they do not forget, and that is why the record of Fernando Alonso will stand, for years, to come.

The lesson of Fernando Alonso is a lesson for every young racer in Spain, because he proved that work, talent, and belief, win races, and that a boy, from anywhere, can become a champion, if he is willing, to do the work, that others will not do, and to keep going, when others stop.

The fans of Fernando Alonso will tell you, that he was more than a driver, because he gave them memories, that they will carry, for the rest of their lives, and that is the true measure, of a racer, not the wins, but the thrill, he gave, to the people, who watched him race.

If you want to understand Fernando Alonso, start with the numbers, because he won 8 major honours, he played for 5 clubs or teams, and he set 5 records, that are listed, in his story, and those numbers were not given to him, they were earned, in competition, against the best, in the world, over many years, and that is why they matter, because they are the proof, of a career, that was built, on work, on talent, and on a refusal, to accept, anything less, than the best.

The future is still open for Fernando Alonso, because his story is not finished, and the next chapter, whatever it holds, will be watched, by millions, in Spain and around the world, who want to see, what he does next, and whether he can add, to a career, that is already, one of the greats, of his sport, and that is the mark, of a true star, that people care, about what happens next, long after, the biggest triumphs, are already, in the past.

The F1 World Championship in 2005 was not the end, of the story of Fernando Alonso, it was the beginning, of the next chapter, because after that triumph, he was no longer, a hopeful, he was a champion, and champions are judged, differently, and he knew it, and he rose, to that judgement, again and again, in Spain and around the world, for the rest, of his career.

What I respect, about Fernando Alonso, is that he never took the easy road, because he could have stayed, where he was comfortable, and he chose, to test himself, against the best, in the biggest matches, and that choice, is what separates, the good from the great, and it is why, his name, is remembered, by fans, in every country, where his sport, is played.

When the history of Spain sport is written, the name of Fernando Alonso will be, in the first chapter, because he changed, what people believed, was possible, and he showed, a whole generation, that a boy from their streets, could become, a champion of the world, and that belief, is worth, more than any trophy, in any cabinet.

I have no doubt, that Fernando Alonso will be remembered, not just for the F1 World Championship in 2005, but for the way, he carried himself, on and off the field, because he was humble, in victory, and gracious, in defeat, and he treated people, with respect, and that is the kind of greatness, that lasts, long after, the last match, has been played.

The best thing, about watching Fernando Alonso, was that you never knew, what he would do next, because he could surprise you, in any moment, with a piece of skill, that no one expected, and that unpredictability, is what made him, so exciting, to watch, and so hard, to play against, and it is why, fans in Spain, still talk about him, today.

I have watched Fernando Alonso for years, and the thing that strikes me, every time, is the intelligence, because he reads the game, two moves ahead, and he is already, where the ball will be, before anyone else, has even moved, and that anticipation is not luck, it is study, and it is why Fernando Alonso was so hard, to play against, in Spain and around the world, for so many years.

If I could tell a young player one thing, about Fernando Alonso, it would be this, watch how he trains, because the matches are the reward, but the training is the work, and Fernando Alonso trained, like every session mattered, like every drill, was a final, and that attitude is the reason, that he lasted, at the top, for so long, and won, the F1 World Championship in 2005, and so much more, besides.

People talk about the talent of Fernando Alonso, and they are right to, because the talent was obvious, from the first time, anyone saw him play, but talent is only the start, and what made Fernando Alonso great, was the work, that came after, the hours, the repetition, and the refusal, to be satisfied, with being good, when he could be, the best, in the world.

There is a moment, in every great career, when the player realises, that he belongs, and for Fernando Alonso, that moment changed everything, because from then on, he did not hope, to win, he expected to, and that expectation, carried him, through the hardest matches, of his career, in Spain and around the world, and it is why, he won, again and again.

I think the most underrated part of Fernando Alonso is his character, because he handled success, without arrogance, and defeat, without excuses, and that balance is rare, in a world, that rewards noise, and Fernando Alonso was quiet, in victory, and gracious, in defeat, and that is why, he is respected, by everyone, who played, with him, or against him, at Aston Martin.

The fans in Spain love Fernando Alonso, and it is easy to see why, because he gave them, something to believe in, and he never, let them down, and when he played, the whole country, stopped, to watch, and that connection, between a player, and his people, is the most powerful thing, in sport, and Fernando Alonso had it, in full, for his whole career.

What I would say to anyone, who doubts Fernando Alonso, is simple, look at the record, because the F1 World Championship in 2005 is there, and the other honours, are there, and they were not given, they were earned, in the hardest, arenas, in the world, against the best, opponents, in the world, and that is the answer, to every doubt, that anyone, could ever raise.

The beauty of watching Fernando Alonso was the simplicity, because he made the hardest things, look easy, and the easiest things, look perfect, and that is the mark, of a master, in any sport, and it is why, young players, in Spain, still copy, the way he moved, the way he thought, and the way, he played, the game.

I have seen many great players, and Fernando Alonso belongs, with the very best, because he did it, for longer, and under more pressure, than most, and he did it, with a smile, and a humility, that made him, easy to admire, and hard, to dislike, and that is a combination, that few athletes, in any era, have ever managed, to achieve.

If Fernando Alonso had never won another title, after the F1 World Championship in 2005, his career, would still matter, because of the way, he played, and the way, he carried himself, and the example, he set, for the next generation, in Spain and around the world, and that is the true measure, of a great athlete, not the count, of the trophies, but the size, of the example.

In the end, the story of Fernando Alonso is a story about a boy from Spain, who worked, who believed, and who became, one of the best, in the world, and that story will be told, for generations, by fans, who saw him play, and by young players, who want, to follow him.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Fernando Alonso born?

Fernando Alonso was born on 29 July 1981 in Oviedo, Spain. He started karting at three, won the world karting championship, and made his F1 debut in 2001 with Minardi, at nineteen.

How many world titles did Fernando Alonso win?

Alonso won two Formula 1 world championships with Renault, in 2005 and 2006, beating Michael Schumacher both times. He was the youngest world champion in history, at twenty-four, and the first Spanish driver to win the title.

How many races has Fernando Alonso won?

Alonso has won 32 Grands Prix in Formula 1, and he has started more than 400 races, the most in F1 history. He also won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, in 2018 and 2019.

Did Fernando Alonso win Le Mans?

Yes, Alonso won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, in 2018 and 2019, with Toyota, and he won the World Endurance Championship in 2019. He is one of the few drivers to win in F1 and at Le Mans.

Is Fernando Alonso still racing in F1?

Yes, Alonso is still racing in Formula 1 with Aston Martin, at 44, the oldest driver on the grid. He scored eight podiums in 2023, proving he is still one of the best drivers in the world, after more than twenty years in the sport.