44 Facts About Fernando Alonso You Should Know

Fernando Alonso has enjoyed a stellar F1 career, racking up the most ever race starts. Often controversial, but always entertaining, he is a double World Champion and is often regarded as one of the best to ever race in Formula 1. Below are some facts about Fernando Alonso that you should know.

1. When And Where Was Fernando Alonso Born? 

Fernando Alonso was born on the 29^th of July 1981 in the city of Oviedo in the north of Spain. He was born into a working-class family and is the son of amateur kart racing enthusiast José Luis Alonso.

2. Fernando Alonso Height And Weight 

Fernando Alonso is 1.71 m (5’7”) tall and weighs 68 kg (150 lbs). Fernando Alonso is fractionally heavier than the average F1 driver weight of 67.35 kg (148.5 lbs), and two inches shorter than the average height of 1.77 m (5’9”). 

3. Where Did Fernando Alonso Go To School? 

Fernando Alonso went to the Holy Guardian Angel Primary School in Oviedo between the ages of 4 and 14. He then joined the Institute Leopoldo Alas Clarin of San Lazaro, before leaving to pursue his career in motor racing.

4. What Languages Does Fernando Alonso Speak? 

Fernando Alonso speaks English, Italian and French, along with his native language of Spanish. 

5. Is Fernando Alonso Left Handed? 

Fernando Alonso is not left-handed, he is right-handed.

6. When Did Fernando Alonso Start Karting? 

Fernando Alonso started karting at the age of 3 after he was given a go-kart originally intended as a present for his older sister. However, she showed no interest in racing, and the kart was modified for the three-year-old Fernando. He was granted a kart racing license at the age of five. 

7. When Did Fernando Alonso Start F1? 

Fernando Alonso started in F1 in 2001, racing for Italian team Minardi after being their test driver the previous season. His first season in Formula 1 was tough, as he was driving an uncompetitive car. He finished the season 23^rd in the Drivers’ Championship, failing to score any points.

8. What Is Fernando Alonso’s Driving Style? 

Fernando Alonso has a fearless and aggressive driving style, which features an unusual approach to turning. He tends to steer very aggressively in the middle of corners, which helps him gauge how much grip he has on his front tires.  

9. Is Fernando Alonso A Good Driver? 

Fernando Alonso is a very good driver. Along with his ability to get the very best out of inferior cars, he has a wealth of racing experience that he can call on in tough moments. His consistency throughout his career has led him to be widely known as one of the greatest to ever drive in the sport.

10. Why Is Fernando Alonso Good? 

Fernando Alonso is good because of his high levels of consistency and ability to get the best out of underperforming cars. He also has a strong ability to approach corners quickly and brake late, without compromising his exit speed, which is key in a sport as fast as Formula 1.

11. Why Is Fernando Alonso Considered One Of The Best? 

Fernando Alonso is considered one of the best as he has performed at a high level in multiple generations of cars. He has consistently been one of the best drivers on the grid from his early years and into his 40s. He also has two World Championship titles to his name. 

12. When Did Fernando Alonso Win The F1 Championship? 

Fernando Alonso first won the F1 World Championship in 2005 with a total of 15 podium finishes out of 19 races. At the time, he became the youngest ever driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship at 24 years old, and then he became the youngest double World Champion a year later.

13. What Team Did Alonso Win The World Championship With? 

Fernando Alonso won the World Championship twice while racing with Renault. His first victory in 2005 marked the first time that Renault had won both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships as a manufacturer, having previously won the titles as an engine supplier. 

14. Why Did Fernando Alonso Leave Renault? 

Fernando Alonso left Renault to join McLaren in 2007, as his contract with the French team had expired. He had previously met McLaren’s owner Ron Dennis at a secret meeting in Japan in 2006, where Alonso was persuaded to join McLaren for the following season.

15. Why Did Fernando Alonso Leave McLaren In 2008? 

Fernando Alonso left McLaren in 2008 after experiencing a tough working relationship with McLaren’s young star Lewis Hamilton. Alonso believed that Hamilton was receiving preferential treatment from the team, and the tensions between the two drivers became too much for Alonso to stay.

16. Why Fernando Alonso Left Ferrari 

Fernando Alonso left Ferrari in 2014 because of a poor atmosphere within the team. He had twice come close to winning the World Championship with the Scuderia, but relationships between Alonso and the team were strained, meaning he terminated his contract 2 years earlier than expected.

17. Has Fernando Alonso Ever Been Beaten By A Teammate? 

Fernando Alonso has only ever been beaten by a teammate once, when teammate Lewis Hamilton beat him on countback in 2007. They both finished with the same number of points, but Lewis Hamilton finished second more often, meaning he took the place above Alonso.

18. What Was Fernando Alonso’s Best Season? 

Fernando Alonso’s best season came with Renault in 2006. He won a total of seven races, as well as coming second seven times. He only failed to achieve a podium finish four times out of 18 races. He beat Michael Schumacher to the championship title by 13 points, winning for the second year running.

19. Why Did Fernando Alonso Retire In 2019? 

Fernando Alonso retired from F1 at the end of 2018 in order to pursue new challenges in his career. He was also enduring a frustrating time at McLaren, and felt he needed a break from the sport. In his time off he competed in 24 Hours of Le Mans (which he won), sports car racing and the Indy 500. 

20. When Did Fernando Alonso Come Back From Retirement? 

Fernando Alonso came back to F1 after two years away from the sport to drive for Alpine in 2021. He stated that he felt refreshed after his time out of the sport, and his results were steady, earning him 10^th place in the 2021 Drivers’ Championship. 

21. How Many Times Has Fernando Alonso Retired? 

Fernando Alonso has only retired from F1 one time, at the end of 2018, since his first season in 2001. He is yet to hint at a possible second retirement, despite his age, meaning we are likely to see him in the paddock until at least 2024, when his Aston Martin contract expires.

22. When Did Fernando Alonso Last Win A Race? 

Fernando Alonso has not won a Formula 1 race since 2013 when he was racing for Ferrari. He has however won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, in 2018 and 2019, as well as winning five FIA World Endurance Championship events and a WeatherTech Sports Car Championship race in 2019.

23. Is Fernando Alonso Still Good? 

Fernando Alonso is still good and has shown some fine form over the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He has helped Alpine to be one of the main challengers outside of the three main F1 teams, with 11 points finishes out of 17 races. 

24. Why Did Fernando Alonso Leave Alpine? 

Fernando Alonso decided to leave Alpine because he didn’t feel supported at the team. He felt that the team didn’t treat him fairly because of his age. He was also impressed by Aston Martin’s desire to sign him for the 2023 season. 

25. Why Would Alonso Go To Aston Martin? 

Fernando Alonso decided to go to Aston Martin as they made him feel more wanted and appreciated than Alpine did. He felt that he was treated unfairly at Alpine because of his age, despite his outstanding performances and the wealth of experience he brought to the team.  

26. Is Fernando Alonso The Best Driver On The Grid? 

Fernando Alonso is not currently the best driver on the grid. Despite his glittering career and incredible skill, the current top drivers include the likes of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton. Ability-wise, Alonso is one of the best, but he faces very tough competition.

27. Was Fernando Alonso Rich Before F1? 

Fernando Alonso was not rich before F1. He came from a humble working-class background, and his family struggled to fund his early karting career. His mother used to sew his overalls together herself, adjusting them as he grew. 

28. Was Fernando Alonso A Pay Driver? 

Fernando Alonso was not a pay driver. He grew up in a working-class household in northern Spain and was not backed by a great deal of money when he was making his ascent through the junior racing ranks. 

29. How Much Does Fernando Alonso Get Paid? 

Fernando Alonso’s contract for the 2022 season is worth a reported $20 million a year. This makes him the joint third highest paid driver on the grid, along with McLaren’s Lando Norris. His wage is not set to change once he joins Aston Martin for the 2023 season. 

30. What Is Fernando Alonso’s Net Worth? 

Fernando Alonso’s net worth is reported to be around $260 million. This wealth has been amassed throughout Alonso’s long career in Formula 1, as well as from various sponsorship deals that he has amassed over the years.

31. Did Fernando Alonso Race For Mercedes? 

Fernando Alonso has not raced for Mercedes. The closest he got was racing for McLaren in 2007, when the car was powered by Mercedes engines. Mercedes did contact Alonso about a potential move after Nico Rosberg’s retirement in 2016, but Alonso declined, as he wanted to see out his McLaren contract.

32. Did Fernando Alonso Race In NASCAR? 

Fernando Alonso has not raced in NASCAR. He has however raced in other disciplines, including IndyCar, 24 Hours of Le Mans and other endurance events, as well as the WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. 

33. When Was Fernando Alonso In IndyCar? 

Fernando Alonso has been involved in IndyCar on three separate occasions, each one coming at the Indy 500. His first race came in 2017 for Andretti. He was part of the McLaren IndyCar team for the 2019 race, but he failed to qualify. His most recent appearance came in 2020.

34. Did Fernando Alonso Win The Indy 500?

Fernando Alonso has never won the Indy 500. If he eventually does win it, he will be the second driver to win the Triple Crown, which involves winning the Monaco Grand Prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500. 

 

35. Has Fernando Alonso Ever Had A Grand Slam? 

Fernando Alonso achieved a Grand Slam victory at the 2010 Singapore Grand Prix. This meant that he qualified in pole, led the entire race and recorded the fastest lap of the race. He is one of only 24 drivers to have achieved this feat in Formula 1.  

36. Did Fernando Alonso Beat Stoffel Vandoorne? 

Fernando Alonso comfortably beat Stoffel Vandoorne in both seasons in which they were teammates (2017 and 2018), as well as outqualifying him for every race in 2018. Vandoorne claims that Alonso received preferential treatment, which Alonso has always denied.

37. Is Fernando Alonso Better Than Schumacher? 

Fernando Alonso has not been quite as good as Michael Schumacher over his career. Schumacher has the joint most championship titles with 7, compared to Alonso’s two, as well as having the second most Grand Prix victories to his name. 

38. Is Fernando Alonso Better Than Lewis Hamilton? 

Across the course of their careers, Fernando Alonso hasn’t reached the heights of 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton has won the most races of all time and has the joint most Championship titles, albeit predominantly driving better cars than Fernando Alonso. 

39. Does Fernando Alonso Like Lewis Hamilton? 

Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton endured a fractious relationship when they were teammates at McLaren in 2007. Whether the two truly like or dislike each other will obviously remain unknown, but there is no doubt that there has been tension between them over the years.

40. Is Fernando Alonso Toxic? 

Fernando Alonso has previously been touted as toxic and a bad presence around his teams, but this is not necessarily true. He has been involved in his fair share of controversy, but a lot of it must come down to his competitiveness and emotional personality, rather than him being a toxic person.

41. Is Fernando Alonso Racing The Indy 500 In 2023? 

It is unlikely that Fernando Alonso will be racing the Indy 500 in 2023. He has admitted that driving in IndyCar is less of a goal for him now, with the addition of aero screens onto the car and how they affect the handling and following making IndyCar racing less fun for him. 

42. When Will Fernando Alonso Retire? 

It is currently unknown as to when Fernando Alonso will retire from Formula 1. He currently has an Aston Martin contract which will keep him at the team until the end of the 2024 season. Alonso is yet to give any hints about potentially retiring, meaning we could still see him race in 2025. 

43. When Does Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin Contract End? 

In 2022, Fernando Alonso signed a multi-year contract with Aston Martin that comes to an end after the completion of the 2024 season. It is unknown as to whether he will retire from Formula 1 upon its completion. If he does, it remains likely he will continue to race in other disciplines. 

44. Can Alonso Win A Third Title?

It looks unlikely that Fernando Alonso will win a third World Championship title. Alonso is in his 40s, and having just signed a contract with Aston Martin, a team that are a long way from challenging the top teams, the chances of him winning a title before he retires from the sport are slim.

Final Thoughts

Fernando Alonso is one of the greatest drivers to grace a Formula 1 track. From his incredible car control to his bright personality, he has been an asset to the sport almost non-stop since 2001. Luckily for fans, it’s likely we’ll continue to see Alonso on the grid for a few years to come.