Fernando Alonso facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fernando Alonso
Alonso in 2017
Born	Fernando Alonso Díaz (1981-07-29) 29 July 1981 (age 43) Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Spouse(s)	Raquel del Rosario ​ ​ (m. 2006; div. 2011)​
Partner(s)	Lara Álvarez (2014–2016) Linda Morselli (2016–2021)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Spanish
Car number	14
Entries	409 (406 starts)
Championships	2 (2005, 2006)
Wins	32
Podiums	106
Career points	2337
Pole positions	22
Fastest laps	26
First entry	2001 Australian Grand Prix
First win	2003 Hungarian Grand Prix
Last win	2013 Spanish Grand Prix
Last entry	2019 Monaco Grand Prix
2024 position	9th (70 pts)
FIA World Endurance Championship career
Racing licence	FIA Platinum
Years active	2018–19
Teams	Toyota
Starts	8
Championships	1 (2018–19)
Wins	5
Podiums	7
Poles	4
Fastest laps	2
Best finish	1st in 2018–19 (LMP1)
IndyCar Series career
2 races run over 3 years
Team(s)	Arrow McLaren
Best finish	21st (2017)
First race	2017 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race	2020 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 0 0
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	2018–2019
Teams	Toyota
Best finish	1st (2018, 2019)
Class wins	2 (2018, 2019)
Signature

Fernando Alonso Díaz (born 29 July 1981) is a famous Spanish racing driver. He competes in Formula One for Aston Martin. Fernando has won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles in 2005 and 2006 with Renault. He has also won 32 Grand Prix races.

Beyond Formula One, Fernando is a champion in endurance racing. He won the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship. He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice with Toyota. Fernando is the only driver to have won both the Formula One World Drivers' Championship and the World Endurance Championship. In 2019, he also won the 24 Hours of Daytona race.

Fernando was born in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. He started kart racing at age three. He quickly became very good, winning many local and world championships. He moved into bigger racing cars at 17. He won the Euro Open by Nissan in 1999. He then raced in the International Formula 3000 Championship.

He joined Formula One with Minardi in 2001. After a year as a test driver, he became a race driver for Renault in 2003. He became the youngest driver to get a pole position and win a race. In 2005 and 2006, he won two world championships. This made him the youngest two-time champion at that time.

Fernando raced for Ferrari from 2010 to 2014. He finished second in the championship three times. He returned to McLaren from 2015 to 2018. After a short break, he came back to F1 in 2021 with the Alpine F1 Team. In 2022, he set a record for the most starts in Formula One. He joined Aston Martin in 2023 and has achieved many podium finishes. He became the first driver to compete in 400 Formula One races in 2024.

As of the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix, Fernando has achieved 32 race wins, 22 pole positions, 26 fastest laps, and 106 podiums in Formula One. He will stay with Aston Martin until at least the end of the 2026 season. Fernando has received many awards for his achievements. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Early Life and Karting Career

Fernando Alonso was born on July 29, 1981, in Oviedo, Spain. His father, José Luis Alonso, worked in a mine explosives factory and was an amateur kart driver. His mother, Ana Díaz, worked in a department store. Fernando has an older sister named Lorena, who is a doctor.

Fernando went to primary school in Oviedo from 1985 to 1995. He later attended high school but left in 2000 to focus on his racing career. He was a good student even though he often missed classes.

The first go-kart driven by Alonso, which his elder sister did not want to drive

Fernando's father built a go-kart for his sister Lorena. However, she wasn't interested in driving it. So, three-year-old Fernando got the kart instead! His father changed the pedals so Fernando could drive it. When he was five, he got his racing license. His family didn't have much money for karting. They couldn't buy special rain tyres, so Fernando learned to drive on wet tracks with slick tyres. He even practiced timing himself on his way to school.

His mother helped by sewing his racing suits. His father was his mechanic, manager, and coach. At age seven, Fernando won his first kart race. He won championships in Asturias and Galicia in 1988 and 1989.

A go-kart importer named Genís Marcó was very impressed by Fernando. He helped Fernando's family find money and sponsors. This allowed Fernando to race in European competitions. Marcó also taught Fernando how to take care of his kart during races.

The go-kart Alonso drove to win the Karting World Championship in 1996

Fernando won the Asturias and Basque Country Cadet Championship in 1990. He finished second in the Spanish Cadet National Championship in 1991. He was allowed to race in the more powerful 100cc class even though he was young. He won three Spanish Junior National Championships in a row from 1993 to 1995.

His success in Spain led him to world championships. In 1995, he finished third in the CIK-FIA Cadets' Rainbow Trophy. Fernando even worked as a mechanic for younger kart drivers to earn money. In 1996, he won his fourth Spanish Junior Karting Championship and the CIK-FIA 5 Continents Juniors Cup. In 1997, he won Italian and Spanish championships.

Motor Racing Career

Junior Racing Success

The Lola B99/50 Alonso drove in the 2000 International Formula 3000 Championship.

At 17, Fernando started racing cars in the 1999 Euro Open by Nissan. He won the championship in the very last race. He had six wins and nine pole positions that year. In 2000, he moved up to the International Formula 3000 Championship. He finished second in one race and won the final race of the season. He ended up fourth overall in the championship.

Formula One Journey

Minardi and Renault (2001–2006)

Fernando got his first chance to test a Formula One (F1) car in December 1999. He became a test and reserve driver for Minardi in 2000. In 2001, he joined their race team. His car wasn't very fast, and his best finish was tenth place. He didn't score any points that year.

Alonso at the 2003 British Grand Prix

In 2002, Fernando became a test driver for Renault. This helped him learn about the team and improve his skills. He worked with engineers to make the cars better. In 2003, he became a full-time race driver for Renault. He quickly broke records: he became the youngest driver to get a pole position and the youngest F1 race winner. He finished on the podium four times and was sixth in the World Drivers' Championship.

In 2004, Fernando continued with Renault. He started the season with a third-place finish and had three more podiums. He got a pole position in France but didn't win any races. He finished fourth in the championship.

The 2005 season was a big one for Fernando. He battled with McLaren driver Kimi Räikkönen for the championship. Fernando's car was very reliable, even if it wasn't always the fastest. He became the youngest World Drivers' Champion, winning seven races and getting six pole positions. He finished on the podium 14 times.

Alonso won his second World Drivers' Championship at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix

Fernando signed a new contract with Renault for 2006. He was the favorite to win again. His main rival was Michael Schumacher from Ferrari. Fernando won six of the first nine races and was always in the top two. He had a big lead in points. Later in the season, the FIA (F1's governing body) made a rule change that affected Renault's car. This helped Schumacher catch up. They were tied on points before the second-to-last race. Fernando won that race after Schumacher had an engine problem. He secured his second title by finishing second in the final race. He became F1's youngest double World Champion.

McLaren and Second Stint with Renault (2007–2009)

Fernando joined McLaren for the 2007 season. His teammates were Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Räikkönen from Ferrari. Fernando won four Grand Prix races that year. He led the championship for a while, but Hamilton eventually passed him. In the final race, he needed to win and for his teammate to finish lower than third to get his third title. He finished third and ended up third overall, with the same points as Hamilton.

Alonso took a controversial victory at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, after his teammate, Nelson Piquet Jr., was ordered to crash deliberately.

There were some disagreements between Fernando and Hamilton during the 2007 season. Because of these tensions, Fernando and McLaren decided to end their contract. He then rejoined Renault for 2008 and 2009. In 2008, his car was not very powerful at first. But after some improvements, he won two races in Singapore and Japan. The Singapore race involved a controversial situation where his teammate was involved in an incident that helped Fernando win. He finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship.

In 2009, Fernando's car was not competitive. He scored points in eight races and got one podium finish, a third place in Singapore. He also got a pole position in Hungary but had to retire from the race. He finished ninth in the championship, but people still saw him as one of F1's best drivers.

Ferrari (2010–2014)

Alonso won on his debut with Ferrari at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Fernando agreed to drive for Ferrari starting in 2010. His main rivals for the championship were Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, and Mark Webber. He won five races that season. He led the championship going into the final race but finished second to Vettel.

His 2011 season was mixed. His car was not as fast as others, but Fernando still managed to get ten podium finishes. He won the British Grand Prix. He finished fourth overall in the championship.

Alonso at the 2012 German Grand Prix

Before the 2012 season, Fernando extended his contract with Ferrari. He battled Sebastian Vettel for the title. He won races in Malaysia, Valencia, and Germany. He built a 40-point lead in the championship. However, some crashes and mechanical problems, along with Vettel's improved performance, made him lose his lead. He finished second in the championship for the second time.

In 2013, Fernando started strong, winning races in China and Spain. He consistently scored points. After some changes to the car and tyres, he was slower than Vettel. He finished second in the championship for the third time. His relationship with Ferrari became difficult because he felt the team couldn't build a championship-winning car.

In 2014, Fernando didn't win any races. His car was not as powerful as the Mercedes cars. He finished third in China and second in Hungary. He ended up sixth in the Drivers' Championship.

Return to McLaren (2015–2019)

Fernando left Ferrari and rejoined McLaren for the 2015 season. He had a difficult year. His car's Honda engine was not powerful enough, and he struggled with speed. He only scored points twice that year, finishing tenth in Britain and fifth in Hungary. He was not happy with the car's performance.

Alonso at the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix

Despite the car's problems, Fernando stayed with McLaren for 2016. He missed one race due to injuries from a heavy crash in Australia. He often out-qualified his teammate and scored points nine times, including two fifth-place finishes. He finished tenth in the Drivers' Championship.

In 2017, Fernando continued with McLaren. The car's reliability was poor, especially at the start of the season. His best finish was sixth place in Hungary. He finished 15th in the Drivers' Championship.

Alonso at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix

Fernando signed a new contract with McLaren for 2018. He had nine top-ten finishes. He consistently out-qualified his teammate. However, he became frustrated with F1 because he felt there wasn't enough exciting racing. He decided to leave the sport as a full-time driver at the end of 2018.

He remained with McLaren as a brand ambassador in 2019. He helped advise drivers and tested cars. His contract with McLaren ended in 2019 and was not renewed.

Alpine (2021–2022)

Alonso at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix, upon his return to Formula One

Fernando returned to F1 in 2021 with the Alpine F1 Team. In his first race back, he had to retire due to a problem with his car. He scored his first points of the season in the second race.

In Hungary, Fernando played a key role in his teammate Esteban Ocon's first race victory. Fernando defended against Lewis Hamilton for many laps, which helped Ocon stay ahead. In August 2021, Fernando extended his contract for the 2022 season. He scored points in many races, including a third-place finish in Qatar. This was his first podium finish in seven years.

Fernando stayed with Alpine for the 2022 season. He had a great qualifying session in Canada, starting in second place. However, he faced some strategy issues and an engine problem during the race, dropping him to ninth.

Aston Martin (2023–)

Fernando joined Aston Martin for the 2023 season. He wanted a longer contract, and Aston Martin offered him a multi-year deal.

Alonso at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, with Aston Martin

Alonso at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, with Aston Martin

In his first race with Aston Martin in Bahrain, Fernando finished third. This was Aston Martin's first podium in a long time. He finished third again in Saudi Arabia, marking his 100th podium finish. This made him one of only six drivers to achieve this milestone. He also finished third in a chaotic Australian Grand Prix.

Later in the 2023 season, the car's performance dropped slightly. However, he still managed two more podium finishes in the Netherlands and Brazil. He finished fourth in the overall standings, his highest position since 2013. In 2024, Fernando competed in his 400th Grand Prix weekend, becoming the first driver in F1 history to reach this number.

Endurance Racing Adventures

Fernando also raced in sports car endurance events. He made his debut in the 1999 24 Hours of Barcelona, finishing tenth overall.

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (2018–2019)

The Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R driven in the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona (pictured at the 2017 Petit Le Mans).

In 2018, Fernando raced in the 2018 24 Hours of Daytona to prepare for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His car had mechanical problems, and he finished 38th. He returned to the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing. He and his teammates won the race, which was shortened due to rain.

FIA World Endurance Championship (2018–2019)

Alonso driving a Toyota TS050 Hybrid at the 2018 6 Hours of Silverstone.

Fernando joined Toyota for the full 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship. He teamed up with Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima. They won the LMP1 Drivers' Championship with five victories. This included winning the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their team benefited from some issues faced by their teammates in other races. Fernando left the series after this successful season.

Alonso driving at the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans

IndyCar Series

Alonso's car prior to the 2017 Indianapolis 500.

McLaren Honda Andretti (2017)

Fernando decided to race in the 2017 Indianapolis 500. He was excited because McLaren had won it before. He drove the No. 29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti car. He qualified fifth fastest for the race. During the race, he led for 27 laps before his engine failed. He was classified 24th.

McLaren Racing (2019)

Alonso at the 2019 Indianapolis 500

McLaren planned for Fernando to race in the 2019 IndyCar Series. However, they decided to focus only on the 2019 Indianapolis 500. Fernando did not qualify for the race. This was due to several issues, including a crash in practice and problems with his car's setup.

Arrow McLaren SP (2020)

He entered the 2020 Indianapolis 500 with Arrow McLaren SP. He had a crash during practice but qualified 26th. Fernando finished the race in 21st place, one lap down. He had a clutch issue that made pit stops difficult.

Off-road Racing

Fernando also tried off-road racing. He entered the Dakar Rally in 2020 with Toyota. He spent five months testing in different parts of the world. He finished 13th in the Dakar Rally. He had some challenges, including stopping for repairs and rolling his car during the race.

Driving Style

Fernando Alonso is known as one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. He is fast and consistent in all weather conditions and on all tracks. He can get extra speed from his car. Other drivers say he knows exactly how much grip to use when turning. He drives aggressively and brakes very late into corners without losing speed. This helps him stay "on the edge" of what the car can do.

Some people have said that Fernando can cause problems within teams. However, his experience has made him very aware of what's happening around him in a race. He can adapt to focus on winning the championship. Fernando is a well-rounded driver who can handle his car very well, even when it slides. He is also very skilled at braking, applying the right amount of force without overdoing it. This allows him to brake very effectively, almost like a natural anti-lock braking system.

Helmet and Career Number

Alonso's Arai helmet used during the 2006 Formula One World Championship

Fernando's helmet design uses the yellow and red colors of the flag of Spain. It also has shades of blue from the Asturias flag. Two silver lightning bolt arrows are on top, inspired by a remote control car he had as a child. He often changes the main color of his helmet when he switches teams. In 2008, he added symbols to show he was a two-time world champion.

The racing helmet Alonso wore at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix to commemorate him scoring 1571 career points

For some races, like the Monaco Grand Prix, he wore a gold and white helmet. At the 2013 Indian Grand Prix, he wore a white helmet to celebrate scoring 1571 career points.

For his last race with Ferrari in 2014, his helmet showed a picture of a pit stop. It also had signatures from team members and the Italian flag. At the 2017 Indianapolis 500, he wore a black helmet with red, yellow, and blue stripes. He changed this design for the 2018 24 Hours of Daytona to white with the Daytona track layout on the back.

In 2018, he changed his helmet's front design to mostly blue. For the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his helmet was split. One side had the Spanish flag, and the other had a blue-checkered pattern. It also listed his 32 F1 race victories.

Since 2014, F1 drivers can choose a permanent car number. Fernando chose number 14. This is his lucky number because he won a world karting championship with kart number 14, at age 14, on July 14, 1996.

Driver Management

Fernando Alonso runs a company called A14 Management. This company helps young drivers in different types of motorsport. In 2023, they managed several promising young talents.

Image and Impact

Fernando Alonso is known for being good at talking to the media. He is often described as shy and prefers a private life. He doesn't spend a lot of money on expensive things.

Alonso at the 2015 Honda Racing Thanks Day

People have noticed that Fernando acts differently in public than in private. Another Spanish driver, Carlos Sainz Jr., said there are "two Fernandos." He meant that Fernando can be defensive when criticized because he is shy. But when he's not racing, he has a good sense of humor and is kind. Fernando himself has said he likes to keep his personal life separate from his professional life.

Fernando has also done voice acting. He was the voice of an animated version of himself in the Spanish versions of Cars 2 (2011) and Cars 3 (2017).

Many people say Fernando is the first world-class racing driver from Spain. He helped make F1 very popular in Spain. Before him, motorcycling and rallying were more well-known sports there. In 2015, he was the most popular male athlete in Spain. He has also been one of the most popular F1 drivers in fan surveys.

The Fernando Alonso Sports Complex opened in Oviedo in 2015. It has a karting track. A museum dedicated to his racing career also opened that year. It shows his race cars, helmets, and other items.

Endorsements and Charity Work

Fernando has worked with many big companies like Banco Santander and Adidas. He also founded his own fashion brand, Kimoa. He was listed as one of the world's highest-paid athletes by Forbes from 2012 to 2018.

In 2017, Fernando started an eSports racing team called FA Racing G2 Logitech G. He is the team principal. This team competes in online racing championships. He also invests in other eSports platforms.

In 2005, Fernando became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He helps promote and protect children's rights. He has supported campaigns to fight polio and cyberbullying. In 2007, he founded the Fernando Alonso Foundation. This foundation teaches about motor racing and road safety.

Awards

Fernando has received many awards for his achievements. In 2003, he won the Gregor Grant Award for his first F1 win. He also won the Princess Cristina National Sports Award. In 2005, he received the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy. After winning his first F1 World Championship in 2005, he received the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports and the Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit.

He was named the Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year in 2006. In 2017, he was voted the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. He has been inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame twice. First for being an F1 World Champion in 2017, and again in 2019 for being a FIA World Endurance Champion. He is the first driver to be inducted twice.

Personal Life

Fernando was married to Raquel del Rosario, a singer, from 2006 to 2011. He was engaged to TV presenter Lara Álvarez from 2015 to 2016. He dated model Linda Morselli from 2016 to 2021.

Fernando supports the Real Madrid and Real Oviedo football teams. He also enjoys cycling. He is 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) tall. He speaks English, French, Italian, and Spanish. His car collection includes a McLaren P1, Ferrari 458 Italia, Nissan GT-R, and Honda NSX.

Karting Record

Karting Career Summary

Racing Record

Racing Career Summary

24 Hours of Daytona Results

Year	Team	Co-drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2018	United Autosports	Philip Hanson Lando Norris	Ligier JS P217-Gibson	P	718	38th	13th
2019	Konica Minolta Cadillac	Kamui Kobayashi Jordan Taylor Renger van der Zande	Cadillac DPi-V.R	DPi	593	1st	1st
Source:

24 Hours of Le Mans Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2018	Toyota Gazoo Racing	Sébastien Buemi Kazuki Nakajima	Toyota TS050 Hybrid	LMP1	388	1st	1st
2019	Toyota Gazoo Racing	Sébastien Buemi Kazuki Nakajima	Toyota TS050 Hybrid	LMP1	385	1st	1st
Source:

Dakar Rally Results

Year	Class	Vehicle	Position	Stages won
2020	Car	Toyota	13th	0
Source:

Formula One Records

As of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix^[update], Fernando Alonso holds the following Formula One records:

Images for kids

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  The first go-kart driven by Alonso, which his elder sister did not want to drive

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  The go-kart Alonso drove to win the Karting World Championship in 1996

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  The Lola B99/50 Alonso drove in the 2000 International Formula 3000 Championship.

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  Alonso at the 2003 British Grand Prix

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  Alonso won his second World Drivers' Championship at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix

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  Alonso en route to victory at the 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix

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  Alonso took a controversial victory at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, after his teammate, Nelson Piquet Jr., was ordered to crash deliberately.

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  Alonso won on his debut with Ferrari at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix.

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  Alonso at the 2012 German Grand Prix

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  Alonso at the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix

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  Alonso at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix

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  Alonso at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix, upon his return to Formula One

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  Alonso at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, with Aston Martin

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  Alonso at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, with Aston Martin

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  The Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R driven in the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona (pictured at the 2017 Petit Le Mans).

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  Alonso driving a Toyota TS050 Hybrid at the 2018 6 Hours of Silverstone.

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  Alonso driving at the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans

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  Alonso's car prior to the 2017 Indianapolis 500.

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  Alonso at the 2019 Indianapolis 500

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  Alonso's Arai helmet used during the 2006 Formula One World Championship

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  The racing helmet Alonso wore at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix to commemorate him scoring 1571 career points

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  Alonso at the 2015 Honda Racing Thanks Day

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  Alonso wearing a Kimoa hat at a NASCAR media tour in 2018

See also

In Spanish: Fernando Alonso para niños