As Fernando Alonso prepares to celebrate his 400th Grand Prix in Mexico City, the F1 paddock is abuzz with tributes to the two-time world champion and icon of the sport. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, a fellow Spaniard and lifelong Alonso admirer, led the chorus of admiration for the 43-year-old Aston Martin driver who has inspired a generation and remains fiercely competitive two decades into his career.
“It’s mind-blowing to think that when I was a kid, nine or ten, Fernando was already racing in F1,” Sainz remarked. “Now, at 30, I’m sharing the track with him. He’s here because he wants it, with a level of skill and determination that lets him keep choosing his future in a sport filled with hungry young drivers.”
Sainz credits Alonso as the reason he chose F1 over rally racing, a path more in line with his father, rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr. The Ferrari driver sees in Alonso the same relentless passion that fuels his father, who continues to race and win Dakar rallies into his 60s. “They’re made of racing,” Sainz said. “They cannot live without it.”
The admiration extends beyond Spain. Esteban Ocon, Alonso’s former Alpine teammate, described the veteran as “one of the best ever,” highlighting Alonso’s dedication. “Fernando breathes racing, eats racing, wakes up racing,” Ocon said. “He’s always looking for the next race, the next drive, and his strategic thinking is unparalleled. He’s a true racer, inside and out.”
In Alonso’s two-decade career, he’s conquered two world titles, 32 race wins, and 102 podiums. But it hasn’t always been easy. His return to McLaren from 2015 to 2018 was marked by frustrating years in uncompetitive cars, a stint that led him to step away from F1 in 2019 to pursue other racing arenas. During this hiatus, he tackled everything from the Indy 500 to Le Mans and even the Dakar Rally, showcasing his versatility in the spirit of racing legends like Mario Andretti and Dan Gurney.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who witnessed Alonso’s career evolution firsthand, called him a “proper racing driver” with an insatiable appetite for speed. “He’s one of my favorite drivers, someone who truly wants to race anything he can,” Brown said. “His versatility and hunger are throwbacks to the golden days when drivers jumped between disciplines.”
Alonso’s career has seen both glorious victories and challenging seasons, yet his love for racing remains undiminished. The Spaniard may have nothing left to prove, but as he hits the 400-race mark, Alonso’s legacy is a testament to the power of persistence, passion, and sheer racing brilliance. In an era where drivers rarely reach such milestones, Fernando Alonso stands out, still competing fiercely, inspiring those around him, and embodying the spirit of F1.
