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Fernando Alonso once received a lawsuit for $6000 worth damages

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Fernando Alonso once received a lawsuit for $6000 worth damages

Fernando Alonso attacked a paparazzi in Spain back in 2013 and broke his expensive camera for clicking photos of his then-girlfriend.

Alonso was driving for Ferrari back in 2013. The two-time World Champion was on holiday in Costa Brava, Spain when this incident occurred and it resulted in widespread criticism towards Alonso.

The name of the photographer was Jordi Martín, and he was in front of the hotel (along with many fans) where Alonso was staying at. When Alonso emerged, everyone was shocked to see what unfolded. The then-Ferrari driver approached Martín and asked him not to take photos of his girlfriend.

Alonso was dating Russian model Dasha Kapustina at the time. Martín spoke to Vanity Fair about the incident and described how shocked the Spaniard’s partner was at the moment.

“He came straight up to me and told me not to dare take photos of his girlfriend,” Martín revealed.  “He pushed me and my camera hit the wall. Then the Ferrari physiotherapist grabbed me by the neck. Dasha couldn’t believe her eyes.”

Also read: “Max Verstappen will use a superior floor”: 24-year old Red Bull star gets championship boost over his teammate Sergio Perez

Paparazzi was stalking Fernando Alonso and his girlfriend as they drove around Barcelona

Alonso lost his cool with Martín and it angered the F1 community a lot. The Barcelona-based photographer also went to court to file a lawsuit against the legendary driver because he damaged his $6000 photography equipment.

However, Alonso’s agent later explained why he got so angry. That particular journalist was tailing his client and Kapustina for a long time, and even stalked them as they drove around the city of Barcelona in Alonso’s Ferrari.

“Paparazzi: press photographers who take pictures of celebrities without their permission,” Alonso’s agent Luis García Abad explained on Twitter. This was also retweeted by Alonso himself.

Martín, however, was not pleased with how the legendary F1 driver treated him and pressed charges.  “Alonso’s fans turned against him,” he explained. “They called him an animal. I didn’t provoke him and now I’m receiving all kinds of threats on Twitter.”

Over the years, Alonso has been involved in a lot of incidents which have led to fans questioning his temperament, and this was one of them.

Also read: When Lewis Hamilton drove Ayrton Senna’s McLaren that had 93.75% win rate and touted as most dominant F1 car ever

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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