The Journey of Fernando Alonso in F1

Fernando Alonso announced his retirement from Formula 1 in August, with the 2018 season to be his last competing in the motorsport. The Spaniard was labelled as the driver who ended the legendary Michael Schumacher’s dominance, when he became the then-youngest championship winner in the motorsport’s history in 2005.

Alonso’s racing career started at the age of three, when his father gave him a kart, and four years later took part in local and national competitions.

Here, car dealers Lookers take a look at the star’s major stats:

Date of birth: 29th July 1981

Birthplace: Oviedo, Spain

Seasons in F1: 17

Races: 305 (change at end of the season)

First F1 race: Australian Grand Prix – 4th March 2001 (12th position)

F1 points total: 1,893 (potential to change)

F1 career-high points total: 278 in 2012

F1 podium finishes: 97

First F1 podium finish: Malaysian Grand Prix – 23rd March 2003 (3rd position)

Last F1 podium finish: (update at end of the season)

F1 victories: 32

First F1 victory: Hungarian Grand Prix – 24th August 2003

Last F1 victory:

F1 driver’s titles: 2

First F1 driver’s title: 2005

F1 team timeline:

2001: Minardi

2003-06: Renault

2007: McLaren

2008-09: Renault

2010-14: Ferrari

2015-18: McLaren

History before F1

It isn’t just F1 where Alonso has been a success when it comes to automotive action though. Before becoming a superstar, a young Alonso clinched the first of five Spanish karting championship titles in 1992. He eclipsed this feat in 1996 when he won the world crown.

He moved into Formula 3000 for a single year in the year 2000, before Minardi came calling for the then-19-year-old and he made the switch to F1.

Endurance racing

In 2018, he took part – and won – the 24 Hours of Le Mans race alongside Switzerland’s Sebastien Buemi and Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima. The trio were racing for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the world’s oldest active sports car race in endurance racing and led the 388-lap race for 183 laps before being victorious.

Indy 500

The Spaniard remembers his race in the Indianapolis 500 in May 2017 fondly, although engine failure eventually resulted in him needing to retire from the race. The driver earned himself a second-row start after finishing fifth in qualifying. However, despite leading the race for 27 laps, troubles with his car meant he eventually finished 24th after retiring in lap 180 of 200.

Future feat?

With Monaco Grand Prix and 24 Hours of Le Mans race victories already under his belt, it’ll be interesting to see whether Alonso will complete the Triple Crown by adding a victory in the Indy 500 to his CV before he retires from racing completely.

That feat, thought to be the ‘holy trinity’ of motor racing has only been managed once before, by Britain’s Graham Hill.