Fernando Alonso is one of the few drivers in the F1 who come from humble beginnings. Alonso’s family lived a life so simple that his father refused to participate in the European and World Championships in 1994 due to a lack of funds, the 42-year-old reveals in an interview with YouTube channel High Performance.
After seeing Alonso win the Spanish championship in ’94, an Italian mechanic went to him and urged him to come to Italy for the European and World Championships. However, his father refused to go as they could not afford to make the trip even though it was a massive deal for the whole family. Nonetheless, the mechanic came up with a solution that would help Alonso continue his iconic racing career.
An Italian Mechanic helped Fernando Alonso keep chasing his dream.
During the interview with High Performance, Alonso told the hosts about the time his father could not afford to take him to Italy for the European and World Championships in 1994. However, an Italian mechanic came forth as a saving grace for the Spaniard and offered to help him make the trip to one of the biggest stages of his life.
“My father answered, ‘We can’t afford to travel to Italy.’ So they said, ‘Okay, I will speak with the factory, and they can help you.’ So that’s how I started.”
The unnamed mechanic paved the way for Fernando Alonso to continue chasing his dreams and become one of the most iconic drivers in the history of F1. The Spaniard has never looked back since then and continued his winning ways. The 42-year-old stands as an inspiration to many as he continues to push for a potential third driver’s championship.
Alonso has one of the longest active careers in F1
Owing to his unparalleled driving skills and a desire to achieve all the success possible, Alonso made his F1 debut in 2001. Featuring alongside Tarso Marques, Alonso made his first official appearance in the F1 with Minardi. 22 years later, the Asturian is still going strong as he stands third in the driver’s championship, a mere 40 points away from second place.
Fernando Alonso is the first driver in F1 history to have raced in 20 different seasons
On the 22nd anniversary of the day he made his F1 race debut, take a look at how his first car, the Minardi PS01, compares to his latest, the Aston Martin AMR23 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/i31vyAMveu— Autosport (@autosport) March 4, 2023
The two-time world champion has the record for most GP appearances and is now at the helm of the operations at Aston Martin. Alonso is firm on helping the Silverstone outfit become one of the best teams on the grid, possibly also leading them to a title, even if he doesn’t get to do it while driving for them.
The 42-year-old might be dancing his last dance in the F1 with Aston Martin, but Alonso will not stop racing once he steps away from F1. He has plans to continue racing in disciplines such as the IndyCar series or the Dakar rally in hopes of picking up a few more wins before calling it quits with professional racecar driving.
