Fernando Alonso is one race away from making history. To overcome Schumacher, Raikkonen and Barrichello. Of being the pilot that more seasons has raced in Formula 1. There will be a total of 20 when, in Bahrain, it goes up to the aston martin and the traffic light turns off. There it will be a legend, more than it already is, and it will put a new tile on a path that started in 2001.
That started when he put on the jumpsuit minardi to run for the first time in the Great Circus. A team that trusted him, and with good reason, when in February, 22 years ago, gave him the option to enter F1.
From being one of the starting drivers of his team and starting a career that led him, in 2005 and 2006, to being world champion. And that in 2007, 2010 and 2012 he came close to repeating his achievement at McLaren and, twice, at Ferrari.
“The changes in the steering wheel, two pedals…”
It doesn’t hurt to look back. To see what Fernando Alonso’s first time in a Formula 1 was like. To see that, even then, when I was just a kid, it was already special. She already made it clear that she was going to do something big.
Because while the rest might have suffered with the huge ‘G-Forces’ or because of the complexity of having such a powerful machine in hand, for him it was like a Tuesday.
Like another day or, going further, a ‘simple’ experience. There is nothing else to look at in what he said as soon as he got out of the car.
“Two pedals, having the gears on the steering wheel… Very easy”, he claimed.
From there, to Renault, to win two World Cups. At McLaren, almost another, in 2007 in which his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton was reminiscent of that of Senna and Prost. Renault again, Ferrari later, McLaren-Honda… and Alpine, until arriving at Aston Martin.
There he will search his third Formula 1 World Championship. The team is investing a large amount of money and resources in a project with which they want to win. And for those who do not trust, De la Rosa, his ambassador, has made it clear.
