Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks, skipping many of the junior formulae on a turbo-charged climb up the racing ladder to the pinnacle of the sport.

Introduced to motorsport at a young age when his father built the then two-year old Fernando a kart, Alonso quickly established himself as a star of the future between the ages of 13 and 18, as he won wherever he raced - from local festivals on home-made courses to regional and national championships the length and breadth of Spain. He also took his talents overseas, winning the world junior title in 1996 at the age of 15 and finishing second in the senior European Championship two years later. The success, however, prompted him to move into car racing at the earliest opportunity.

His debut was in 2001 and since he has had 19 wins and 17 poles.

He joined McLaren for 2007 and unnerved by Lewis Hamilton’s phenomenal speed and the British rookie’s virtually familial relationship with McLaren, Alonso’s season fell apart. This lead him to threatening to ‘shop’ his own team to the FIA.

Now teamed with Renault he confident that he can bring the best back.