On the 100th anniversary of the Spanish Grand Prix, Alonso celebrated his last win to date in May 2013 at the Circuit de Catalunya. It was also the last by a Spaniard on home soil. 110 years after the first race, back then in Guadarrama, the euphoria among the fans is greater than it has been for a long time. Because Spain’s only Formula 1 world champion is once again at the forefront. Five podium finishes in six races and third place in the World Championship standings are an interim result that hardly anyone expected.
“So far we have achieved many third places and a second place in Monaco. What’s missing now is a win,” said Alonso. Carried by the euphoria of the home fans, hundreds of thousands of whom will make the pilgrimage to Catalonia, he should now succeed where he stood on the top step of the podium for the last time in 2013. It would be the 33rd in the 41-year-old’s career and also the first for Aston Martin.
Alonso motivated before home race
The Formula 1 World Championship continues this weekend with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The focus is on Fernando Alonso. The local hero won his last race in Barcelona ten years ago.
Red Bull stands in the way of dreams
In order for the circle to close, Alonso probably needs a fall from Max Verstappen. The 25-year-old is currently so superior in his Red Bull that he can probably only beat himself in Spain. “We need weekends when Red Bull has problems,” said Alonso, who doesn’t put any pressure on himself: “I’m not obsessed with this win.” but he could still catch up in the overall standings, says the Spaniard.
With 93 points, Alonso is only twelve points behind second-placed Mexican Perez. However, the gap to Verstappen is already huge at 51 points. However, the Dutchman was enthusiastic about his experienced rival’s season so far: “I have a lot of respect for him because he is still so committed at this age. I grew up watching him drive.” Alonso is also “a great example for the people out there. If you stay committed and believe in yourself and the opportunities that come your way, then you can do what he’s doing right now.”
Like a phoenix from the ashes
Alonso was world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, when the Spaniard ended the title series of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari – and then switched to the “Scuderia” himself. Expectations were high that Alonso would also triumph at Ferrari. But the 41-year-old failed and left the cockpit in 2014. Years with more downs than ups at McLaren and Alpine followed – including a two-year break in 2019 and 2020. When he then signed with Aston Martin last year, some observers interpreted it as an act of desperation.
But Alonso proved his critics wrong and rose back into the limelight almost like a phoenix from the ashes. The Spaniard is now at an age “where he can concentrate on the essentials. And he’s now working hard against the accusation that he’s not a team player. And he does it very well and very fairly,” said former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher. The brother of record world champion Michael was even convinced that Alonso was capable of more: “He could win the title in Red Bull.”
It is not yet clear how long Alonso himself will continue. In any case, there are no signs of an early end to his career. How much fun he currently has in his job is not only evident on the racetrack. In Barcelona, Alonso enjoyed the cheers and affection of his compatriots at a fan meeting. “I hope that we will see a lot of green in the grandstands this weekend,” he said, referring to the colors of his British racing team.