Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) will be looking for his 33rd Formula One victory next weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, in front of his fans and at the Montmeló circuit (Barcelona). The scene of his thirty second and until now last victory in the premier class -more than ten years ago-; also coincided with the thirty-third time the event was held at the Circuit de Catalunya.
The Asturian double world champion, in the second youth at the age of 41 and third in the World Cup; has been a great sensation from the start of a season where -with five podiums in the first six races- he was the only one facing the very dominant Red Bull. Team where Dutchman Max Verstappen leads the championship with 144 points, 39 more than his teammate, Mexican Sergio Pérez; and has 51 advantages over him.
In a car that last year was seventh on the grid and has made amazing progress thanks to the important investment that culminated in the signing of the Asturian star -who became the true flagship of the Lawrence Stroll team, the father of his new partner, the Canadian Lance Stroll-, Alonso started the season with three consecutive podiums: finishing third in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
He signed his ‘worst’ result of the year by finishing fourth in Azerbaijan, just one second behind the podium in Baku; and finished third again in Miami (USA). And, after the suspension -due to the floods that caused a real human tragedy- of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, in Imola (Italy), he once again impressed the world on Sunday when he finished second in Monaco; with Verstappen achieving his fourth victory at a course where his ‘Czech’ teammate scored the other two.
The skillful jump made on the streets of the beautiful principality of the Côte d’Azur brings it even closer to the 33: the figure that for months sets the trend in F1, in reference to what will be the next victory for the new leader of Aston Martin. A victory that could come on Sunday itself, in front of his own audience; who will also encourage his compatriot Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), sixth in the competition and not yet having the desired start to the season; but he will not give up on achieving, at least, his first podium of the Montmeló course.
The Spanish Grand Prix, held fifty-two times, debuted in the F1 World Cup in 1951 -at Pedralbes, also in Barcelona-; and, after being disputed in different places, since 1991 it has been fixed in Montmeló; which happened to reach its 33rd edition. Added an incentive to consider this weekend.
The love story between Alonso -with two victories and six podiums at the Catalan track- and the Circuit goes back a long way. Because Fernando debuted in F1 in 2001. And that year he finished thirteenth, with the worst car on the grid, a race won by the German Michael Schumacher – still recovering from a serious accident on skis he suffered in the French Alps in 2013- , sharing the record for victories in Spain (six) with Englishman Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). Like him, seven-time world champion.
After spending a year as a tester, as soon as Renault gave him a wheel in 2003, Alonso started setting milestones in the premier class. And after signing the ‘pol’ and the youngest podium in Malaysian history; repeat the third place in Brazil -from which he came out injured and on a stretcher-; and as sixth in Imola, he achieved second place in Barcelona, which at that time was his best result. Bringing out the frenzy of the public, which packed several stands where, for the first time, besides the ‘senyera’ and Spanish flags, the usual banners with the Victoria Cross on a blue background abounded: that of his native Asturias.
Fernando -who would achieve his first victory that year, at the Hungaroring, outside Budapest- Schumacher just passed him that day; that he started with ‘pol’ and the following year he achieved his sixth victory in Montmeló, in a test in which the man from Oviedo was fourth.
In 2005, the year of his first title, Alonso led Catalonia after winning three of the first four races. And he came out with a strengthened leadership, after second, behind the Finn Kimi Raikkonen.
After taking the record from the Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi and becoming that course -at the age of 24- then the youngest world champion, the brilliant Asturian pilot reaffirmed the title in 2006: the year in which he took his first victory in Montmeló. He signed ‘pol’ and achieved his third win of the day in a season where he would have equaled the previous seven.
In 2007, already at McLaren, he returned to the podium; in a race won by Brazilian Felipe Massa leading rookie Hamilton: his partner, at the time. Mismanaged by those responsible for the Woking team; and it ended like a morning rosary.
His return to Renault ended, in Montmeló, with withdrawal, in 2008; and fifth place, the following year. And in his first campaign, with Ferrari, in 2020, he was second -behind Australian Mark Webber-. A position that, after finishing fifth a year later, he repeated in 2012: the day Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado achieved, with a Williams, his only victory in F1.
On May 12, 2013 – that is, more than ten years ago- he achieved, at the Barcelona circuit, his last victory in Formula One. The 32nd. Breaking another mold: by winning from fifth place.
“You have to be optimistic and think about winning“, commented Fernando to Efe the day before, after qualifying; before obtaining a new victory, which he celebrated joined on the podium by Raikkonen and by Massa, his teammate at the time at Ferrari. Where he finished sixth in 2014.
In the terrifying journey in which he got his second stint at McLaren -between 2015 and 2018- his best result at the Circuit was eighth, the season in which he decided to say ‘see you later’ in the premier class. To go on to win the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and achieve, among other victories, those he repeated, in the 2018-19 Super-Season, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) and at the Six Hours of Spa – Francorchamps (Belgium). Before the test -also in Toyota and made a very good impression- in the 2020 Dakar Rally.
He returned to F1 in 2021 and that year he explained, in an interview with EFE that took place at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (Austria), that in the honor division of motorsport “the important thing is not age, but the stopwatch” . One thing some have dared to ask; but that the professor of Oviedo does not stop to confirm, optimizing resources in each of his presentations.
Despite this, at Alpine he finished seventeenth, that year; and ninth, last, outside Barcelona.
But this year Alonso regained his smile, each time brighter, in a team that not only respects him, but also adores him; and in a car that guarantees him, at least, podiums. Where the next step to take is success. The 33. That can be found on the site of the 32. That celebrates the 33rd edition this weekend.
Although the main problem for the long-awaited ’33’ is precisely the ’33’: the one carried, in his almost invincible car, by Verstappen. 25 years old. It was in Monaco that he achieved his thirty-ninth victory in F1. And that in Montmeló he intended to sing the forty.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
