Fernando Alonso is a Spanish racing driver and two-time Formula 1 World Champion, widely recognized as one of the most complete and resilient competitors in modern motorsport history. Nicknamed “El Nano,” he won his first Formula 1 World Championship on September 25, 2005, at the age of 24 years and 59 days, breaking Emerson Fittipaldi’s record as the youngest world champion at the time. With this achievement, Alonso also brought an end to Michael Schumacher’s five-year consecutive championship reign.

Fernando Alonso, whose full name is Fernando Alonso Díaz, was born on July 29, 1981, in Oviedo, Asturias, in northern Spain. He inherited the surname Alonso from his father, who worked as an explosives specialist in the mining industry, and the surname Díaz from his mother, who was employed at a department store. His father, José Luis Alonso, was an amateur kart racer and hoped to pass this passion on to his children. He built a pedal-powered kart resembling a Formula 1 car, originally intended for Fernando’s eight-year-old sister Lorena. When she showed no interest, the kart went instead to three-year-old Fernando, marking the beginning of his racing journey.

From an early age, Alonso displayed a fiercely competitive personality. With his father’s guidance, he began competing in karting events, traveling across Spain despite limited financial resources. His talent quickly attracted sponsorship support. Alonso won the Spanish Karting Championship three times in 1994, 1996, and 1997. He also finished second in the European Karting Championship and became World Junior Karting Champion in 1996.

In 1999, with the support of former Minardi driver Adrián Campos, Alonso competed in the Euro Open MoviStar by Nissan series and won the championship. This success propelled him into Formula 3000 in 2000. That season, he secured a victory at Spa-Francorchamps and finished fourth overall in the drivers’ standings, earning a rapid promotion to Formula 1.

Fernando Alonso made his Formula 1 debut in 2001 with the Minardi team at the Australian Grand Prix, becoming the third-youngest driver in Formula 1 history at the time. Although his car was uncompetitive and he finished the season without scoring points, his consistency, reliability, and performances against teammates Tarso Marques and Alex Yoong drew attention. In 2002, his potential caught the eye of Renault team principal Flavio Briatore, who signed him as a test driver.

Alonso secured a full-time race seat with Renault in 2003. Driving a far more competitive car, he became the youngest driver to claim pole position at the Malaysian Grand Prix. He later won the Hungarian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest race winner in Formula 1 history at that time. He ended the 2003 season with four podium finishes, 55 points, and sixth place overall. In 2004, still with Renault, he finished fourth in the championship with four podiums and 59 points, while teammate Jarno Trulli departed the team late in the season.

The 2005 season marked Alonso’s definitive breakthrough. Partnered with Giancarlo Fisichella, he secured 15 podium finishes, seven race victories, and 133 points, winning his first Formula 1 World Championship and delivering Renault its first constructors’ title. During the season, he was forced to withdraw from the United States Grand Prix after Michelin refused to guarantee tire safety. Following his championship victory, Alonso made the following statement:

“I dedicate this championship to my family and to all my close friends who have supported me throughout my career. Spain is not a country with a Formula 1 culture, and that is why at every stage of this journey we had to fight alone. I thank my team very much. They are the best in Formula 1. We achieved this together. I am the world champion, but we are all champions, and they deserve it.”

In 2006, Alonso became the youngest recipient of the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports and successfully defended his title with 14 podiums, seven victories, and 134 points, becoming a two-time Formula 1 World Champion.

Fernando Alonso married Raquel del Rosario, vocalist of the Spanish music group El Sueño de Morfeo, in 2006; the couple divorced in 2011. He later competed for McLaren Mercedes in 2007, returned to Renault in 2008 and 2009, and joined Scuderia Ferrari in 2010. During five seasons with Ferrari, he did not win a championship but finished runner-up three times, in 2010, 2012, and 2013. Despite having two years remaining on his contract, he left Ferrari at the end of the 2014 season.

Alonso stepped away from Formula 1 in 2018 but returned in the 2021 season with Alpine. In 2023, he joined the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team and continues to race for the team. In 2024, he competed in the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and finished eighth. Fernando Alonso currently resides in Oxford, England, and has announced that he plans to retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2026 season.

Source: Biyografiler.com