formula 1
“Alonsonism”: Spain celebrates oldie Alonso
Finished third in Brazil: Fernando Alonso. photo
© Andre Penner/AP/dpa
Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 appearance in Brazil brings back memories of a legendary duel with Michael Schumacher. At 42 years old, the Spaniard’s hunger for success is unbridled.
The Spanish press celebrated the return of “Alonsonism”, and a British former world champion praised the 42-year-old Fernando Alonso immediately as a driver of the future.
With his splendid performance and the impressive final laps in the duel with Sergio Pérez in the actually superior Red Bull at the São Paulo Grand Prix, Alonso cemented his reputation as an exceptional Formula 1 driver.
“Well if anyone wants to sign a great up and coming rider who I think has a great future, there’s this guy who rode like an old master today,” former champion Damon Hill posted on X, formerly Twitter, and linked Alonso.
Lap after lap, Alonso kept Pérez behind him in his Aston Martin, the Mexican tried everything – and then even got past. Unlike Michael Schumacher, who hung behind Alonso in Imola in 2005, tried everything but couldn’t get past.
Memories of the duel with Schumacher
Inevitably, memories of the duel almost two decades ago came back. It was the year in which Alonso also ended Schumacher’s series of titles in the Ferrari, and in 2006 the Asturian native won the World Championship again in the Renault. In the period that followed, however, he was denied further world championship trophies. It felt like Alonso was always on the wrong team at the wrong time.
And at Aston Martin, Sebastian Vettel’s successor, performance also stagnated after a fantastic start to the season. Fourth place behind Pérez would have been good in São Paulo, but that wasn’t enough for Alonso. He attacked the Mexican and World Cup runner-up again – and saved third place in the tiny space of 53 thousandths of a second. It was Alonso’s 106th podium finish. The Spanish sports newspaper “As” listed them all individually on Monday and “Marca” wrote: “Alonso won his eighth trophy (this season) with a dance like in Imola 2005.”
Alonso’s shout of joy on the podium was another expression of the unbridled ambition that still drives him. “We will always fight until the last lap, until the last corner,” emphasized Alonso, who has not given up hopes of his 33rd career victory over ten years after his last success.