Career Timeline of Fernando Alonso: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Fernando Alonso made an impact.

Fernando Alonso is a highly accomplished Spanish racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Aston Martin. He is a two-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion (2005, 2006 with Renault) and has secured 32 Grand Prix victories over 22 seasons. Beyond Formula One, Alonso has excelled in endurance racing, winning the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship and twice winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota. He uniquely holds both the Formula One World Drivers' Championship and the World Sportscar/World Endurance Drivers' Championship titles. Furthermore, he won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1988: Won Children's Junior Championship

In 1988, Alonso won the children's junior Championship of the Asturias and Galicia.

1989: Won Children's Junior Championship

In 1989, Alonso won the children's junior Championship of the Asturias and Galicia.

1990: Progressed to Cadet Class

In 1990, Alonso progressed to the Cadet class in kart racing.

1990: Won Karting Championships

In 1990, Alonso won the Asturias and Basque Country Cadet Championship.

1991: Second in Spanish Championship

In 1991, Alonso finished second in the Spanish Cadet National Championship.

1993: Joined IAME Team

In 1993, Alonso joined the Italian American Motor Engineering (IAME) works team.

1995: Won Spanish Junior National Championship

From 1993 to 1995, Alonso won three successive Spanish Junior National Championships.

1995: Third at CIK-FIA Cadets' Rainbow Trophy

In 1995, Alonso was third at the Commission Internationale de Karting (CIK-FIA) Cadets' Rainbow Trophy.

July 1996: World karting championship victory

On 14 July 1996, Alonso secured his world karting championship victory in a kart with number 14, which later influenced his choice of car number in Formula One.

1996: Won Karting Championships

In 1996, Alonso won his fourth Spanish Junior Karting Championship, the Trofeo Estival, the Marlboro Masters, and the CIK-FIA 5 Continents Juniors Cup at the Karting Genk.

1997: Took Italian and Spanish Championships

In 1997, Alonso took the Italian and Spanish International A championships and was second in the European Championship with nine wins, the Masters Karting Paris Bercy and the Spanish Karting Championship.

December 1999: Tested Formula One Car

In December 1999, Cesare Fiorio gave Alonso a test in a Formula One car at the Circuito de Jerez.

1999: Sports car endurance racing debut

In 1999, Fernando Alonso made his sports car endurance racing debut at the 24 Hours of Barcelona. He finished third in the M10 class and tenth overall driving a Hyundai Accent.

1999: Car Racing Debut

In 1999, at seventeen years old, Alonso made his car racing debut in the Euro Open by Nissan with Campos Motorsport, winning the title.

1999: Won Euro Open by Nissan

In 1999, at the age of 17, Alonso won the Euro Open by Nissan racing title.

2000: Left School for Motor Racing

In 2000, Alonso left the Institute Leopoldo Alas Clarín of San Lázaro during his University Orientation Course to focus on motor racing.

2000: Progressed to International Formula 3000

In 2000, Alonso progressed to the International Formula 3000 Championship with the Minardi-backed Team Astromega, finishing fourth overall.

2000: Minardi Test and Reserve Driver

In 2000, Alonso served as Minardi's test and reserve driver.

2001: Won Race of Champions Nations' Cup

Alonso won the 2001 Race of Champions Nations' Cup.

2001: Joined Minardi Race Team

In 2001, Alonso joined Minardi's race team, with his best result being a tenth-place finish in the German Grand Prix.

2001: Formula One Debut

In 2001, Alonso made his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix with Minardi.

May 2002: Drove Jaguar for Evaluation

In May 2002, Alonso drove a Jaguar in an evaluation session at the Silverstone Circuit.

2002: Renault Test Driver

In 2002, Alonso signed as Renault's test driver to familiarize himself with the team.

2003: Youngest Polesitter and Race Winner

In 2003, Alonso became the youngest polesitter at the Malaysian Grand Prix and the youngest F1 race winner at the Hungarian Grand Prix while driving for Renault.

2003: Promoted to Renault Race Team

In 2003, Alonso was promoted to the Renault race team and broke records for the youngest driver to win a pole position and an F1 race.

2003: Finished sixth in Drivers' Championship

In 2003, Fernando Alonso finished sixth in the Drivers' Championship.

2004: Several Podiums in Renault

During the 2004 campaign, Alonso achieved several podium finishes while racing for Renault.

2004: Improved Season with Renault

In 2004, Alonso had an improved season with Renault, finishing the Australian Grand Prix in third and taking three more podium finishes.

February 2005: Named UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

In February 2005, the UNICEF Spanish Committee named Fernando Alonso a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to promote and defend children's rights and awareness of UNICEF.

April 2005: Contract Extension with Renault

In April 2005, Alonso signed a contract extension with Renault for 2006.

2005: Won First F1 World Championship

In 2005, Alonso won his first Formula One World Drivers' Championship title with Renault.

2005: Won Maiden Title

In 2005, Alonso won his maiden Formula 1 title, becoming the first World Drivers' Champion from Spain and the youngest in Formula One history at the time, aged 24.

2005: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

Since 2005, Alonso has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

November 2006: First Appearance for McLaren in Test Session

In November 2006, Renault allowed Alonso to make his first appearance for McLaren in a test session at the Circuito de Jerez.

2006: Won Second F1 World Championship

In 2006, Alonso secured his second Formula One World Drivers' Championship title with Renault.

2006: Defended World Title

In 2006, Alonso successfully defended his Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship title against Michael Schumacher.

2006: Appointment as GPDA Director

In 2006, Fernando Alonso was appointed director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), along with Mark Webber and Ralf Schumacher.

2007: Drove for Mclaren

In 2007, Alonso drove for McLaren, achieving four Grand Prix victories and ultimately finishing third overall in the championship.

2007: Founding of the Fundación Fernando Alonso

In 2007, Fernando Alonso founded the Fundación Fernando Alonso to promote motor racing and road safety education.

2008: Won Multiple Races with Renault

In 2008, Alonso won multiple races with Renault, including the controversial Singapore Grand Prix.

2008: Joins Renault, wins in Singapore and Japan

In 2008, Fernando Alonso rejoined Renault on a two-year contract. Despite initial power issues, aerodynamic developments led to victories in Singapore and Japan. The Singapore race was controversial due to the "crashgate" scandal. Alonso scored 61 points, finishing fifth in the Drivers' Championship.

2008: Alonso featured on Forbes Celebrity 100 list

In 2008, Fernando Alonso was featured on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list.

2009: Agrees to drive for Ferrari

In 2009, Fernando Alonso initially agreed with Ferrari to drive for them, but due to contract extensions of other drivers, the agreement was postponed.

2009: Re-signs with Renault, achieves podium in Singapore

In 2009, Fernando Alonso re-signed with Renault on a two-year contract. His car lacked competitiveness. He achieved one podium finish, a third place, at the Singapore Grand Prix. Alonso finished ninth in the Drivers' Championship with 26 points.

2010: Signed with Ferrari

In 2010, Alonso signed with Ferrari, finishing runner-up to Sebastian Vettel.

2010: Drives for Ferrari, finishes runner-up

In 2010, Fernando Alonso drove for Ferrari. He won five races and entered the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix leading the championship. He finished second to Sebastian Vettel, losing the championship by four points.

2010: End of GPDA Directorship

In 2010, Fernando Alonso's term as director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) concluded.

2011: Single Victory with Ferrari

In 2011, Alonso took a single victory as Red Bull consolidated their advantage.

2011: Promotion of polio eradication efforts in India

In 2011, Fernando Alonso promoted India's efforts to eradicate polio.

2011: Wins British Grand Prix, finishes fourth overall

In 2011, Fernando Alonso's season with Ferrari was mixed, with the car lacking in qualifying. He won the British Grand Prix and claimed ten podium finishes. He finished fourth overall with 257 points.

June 2012: Forbes lists Alonso as one of the world's highest-paid athletes

From June 2012, Fernando Alonso was consistently listed by Forbes as one of the world's highest-paid athletes, due to his endorsement money and Formula 1 salary. The magazine also named him motorsport's top-earning driver from June 2012 to June 2013.

2012: Runner-up to Vettel

In 2012, Alonso finished runner-up to Sebastian Vettel again.

2012: Extends contract with Ferrari, finishes runner-up again

In 2012, Fernando Alonso extended his contract with Ferrari. Wins in Malaysia, Valencia, and Germany allowed him to build a lead. He finished runner-up to Vettel for the second time with 278 points.

2012: Promotion of handwashing with soap to school children

In 2012, Fernando Alonso promoted handwashing with soap to school children.

June 2013: Forbes names Alonso motorsport's top-earning driver

Forbes named Fernando Alonso as motorsport's top-earning driver from June 2012 to June 2013, as part of consistently listing him as one of the world's highest-paid athletes.

2013: Runner-up Again

In 2013, Alonso finished runner-up to Vettel again, driving the F138.

2013: Highest finish since 2013

In 2013, Fernando Alonso achieved his highest finish in the standings since 2013. He finished fourth in the standings, scoring 206 points compared to his teammate Stroll's 74 points.

2013: Wins in China and Spain, finishes second overall

In 2013, Fernando Alonso won in China and Spain, consistently scoring points. However, he was slower than Vettel after a tyre compound change. With 242 points, Alonso finished second for the third time in his career.

2014: Hungarian Grand Prix podium

Alonso had his first podium finish since the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix.

2014: Achieves podiums, finishes sixth in Drivers' Championship

In 2014, Fernando Alonso achieved no race wins but took third in the Chinese Grand Prix and second in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Alonso finished sixth in the Drivers' Championship with 161 points.

2014: Leaves Ferrari due to disagreements

In 2014, Fernando Alonso had disagreements with the Ferrari team principal and left the team after contract negotiations failed.

2015: Returned to McLaren

In 2015, Alonso returned to McLaren under Honda power.

2015: Blocked entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans

In 2015, Alonso was scheduled to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche's Le Mans Prototype 1 team, but Honda blocked his participation.

2016: Extended his contract with Ferrari until 2016

Ahead of 2012, Alonso extended his contract with Ferrari until 2016.

2016: Misses Bahrain Grand Prix due to injuries, finishes tenth overall

In 2016, Fernando Alonso missed the Bahrain Grand Prix due to injuries sustained in Australia. He scored points in nine races, finishing tenth in the Drivers' Championship with 54 points.

2016: Forbes recognizes Alonso as a top-earning international star

In 2016, Forbes recognized Fernando Alonso as one of the top-earning international stars.

October 2017: Signed multi-year extension with McLaren

On October 19, 2017, Fernando Alonso signed a multi-year extension with McLaren.

November 2017: Seat fitting in a TS050 Hybrid

In November 2017, Alonso visited Toyota's factory in Cologne for a seat fitting in a TS050 Hybrid after agreeing to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota. Toyota entered Alonso into a post-season rookie test at the Bahrain International Circuit later that month.

November 2017: Establishment of FA Racing G2 Logitech G eSports team

In November 2017, Fernando Alonso established the FA Racing G2 Logitech G eSports racing team, where he served as team principal and competed in virtual online racing championships.

November 2017: Support for UNICEF's anti-cyberbullying campaign

In November 2017, Fernando Alonso supported UNICEF's anti-cyberbullying campaign.

2017: Rejoins McLaren on a three-year contract

In 2014, Fernando Alonso rejoined McLaren on a three-year contract from 2015 to 2017 with no opt-out clauses.

2017: Entered Indianapolis 500

In 2017, Alonso entered the Indianapolis 500.

2017: Remains at McLaren, finishes fifteenth in Drivers' Championship

In 2017, Fernando Alonso stayed at McLaren, but poor reliability affected his season. He finished fifteenth in the Drivers' Championship with seventeen points.

2017: Forbes recognizes Alonso as a top-earning international celebrity

In 2017, Forbes recognized Fernando Alonso as one of the highest-paid international and European celebrities and he also featured on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list.

2017: Indianapolis 500 idea

In 2017, before the Australian Grand Prix, Zak Brown suggested to Alonso that they should enter the Indianapolis 500. Alonso agreed to the idea after further discussions. He expressed his desire to race at Indianapolis, believing it would be beneficial for everyone involved.

January 2018: Agreement to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship

In January 2018, McLaren and Toyota reached an agreement to allow Alonso to enter the full 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship. He joined Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima in Toyota's No. 8 TS050 Hybrid.

August 2018: Planning an IndyCar Series entry

In August 2018, McLaren began planning an entry for Alonso in the 2019 IndyCar Series, receiving support from the series itself.

2018: Final year on Forbes' highest-paid athletes list

2018 marked the final year in a streak from 2012 where Fernando Alonso was consistently listed by Forbes as one of the world's highest-paid athletes.

2018: First Retirement

Alonso remained with McLaren until the end of 2018, resulting in limited success, before his first retirement from Formula 1 and moving into sportscar racing.

2018: 24 Hours of Daytona

In 2018, Alonso drove a Ligier JS P217 entered by United Autosports in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He qualified thirteenth and finished 38th after mechanical issues affected the car during the race.

2018: Test session at Ciudad del Motor de Aragón

In 2018, Alonso drove a TS050 Hybrid in a three-day test session at the Ciudad del Motor de Aragón and participated in a 24-hour kart race as preparation.

2018: Won FIA World Endurance Championship

In 2018, Alonso won the FIA World Endurance Championship with Toyota.

2018: Finished fifth at Australian Grand Prix, leaves F1

In 2018, Fernando Alonso finished fifth at the Australian Grand Prix and took nine top-ten finishes. Alonso left F1 at the end of the season, citing a lack of on-track racing and predictability of results.

2018: Dissolution of FA Racing G2 Logitech G eSports team

In 2018, the FA Racing G2 Logitech G eSports team, established by Fernando Alonso in November 2017, was dissolved.

March 2019: Launch of eSports team in partnership with Veloce Esports

In March 2019, Fernando Alonso launched another eSports team in partnership with FA Racing and Veloce Esports.

March 2019: Seat fitting for the No. 66 Dallara IR18-Chevrolet

In early March 2019, Alonso visited the McLaren Technology Centre for a seat fitting to get comfortable in the No. 66 Dallara IR18-Chevrolet. The brake pedal was adjusted due to its less frequent use in IndyCar compared to Formula One.

April 2019: Drove the MCL34

In April 2019, Alonso drove the MCL34 during a two-day in-season post-race Bahrain test.

2019: Development focused on 2019

In 2018, McLaren stopped developing their car to focus on 2019.

2019: Entered Indianapolis 500

In 2019, Alonso entered the Indianapolis 500.

2019: Victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona

In 2019, Alonso returned to race in the 24 Hours of Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing. He won the rain-shortened event driving a Cadillac DPi-V.R with Kamui Kobayashi, Renger van der Zande, and Jordan Taylor, completing 593 laps.

2019: Won 24 Hours of Daytona and Le Mans

In 2019, Alonso won the 24 Hours of Daytona with WTR and the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota for the second time.

2019: LMP1 Drivers' Championship wins

In 2019, Alonso, along with Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima, won the LMP1 Drivers' Championship. They secured five victories, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 2018 and 2019.

2020: Ambassador contract with McLaren expired

At the end of 2019, Alonso's ambassador contract with McLaren expired, and was not renewed for 2020.

2020: Dakar Rally entry

In 2020, Alonso entered the Dakar Rally with Toyota. He finished the Dakar in thirteenth position with a best stage finish of second place. His preparation included racing in the Lichtenburg 400 in South Africa, the Rally du Maroc in Morocco, and the Al Ula–Neom Rally in Saudi Arabia.

2020: Indianapolis 500 entry

In 2020, Alonso entered the Indianapolis 500 with Arrow McLaren SP after a previous agreement with Andretti Autosports fell through. He crashed during practice and qualified 26th. He finished the race 21st and one lap down due to a clutch issue.

2020: Entered Indianapolis 500

In 2020, Alonso entered the Indianapolis 500.

2020: Ruoff Mortgage sponsors Alonso's Indianapolis 500 attempt

In 2020, Ruoff Mortgage sponsored Fernando Alonso for his attempt at the Indianapolis 500.

2020: Preparation for F1 return

In preparation for his 2021 F1 return, Alonso performed four testing days driving the Renault R.S.18 and was quickest in the post-2020 season young driver's test driving the Renault R.S.20 for Renault.

August 2021: Extends contract for 2022 season

In August 2021, Fernando Alonso invoked an option to extend his contract for the 2022 season.

2021: Returned to Formula One with Alpine

In 2021, Alonso returned to Formula One with Alpine, recording his first podium in seven years at the Qatar Grand Prix.

2021: Signed to drive for Alpine F1 Team

In 2021, Fernando Alonso was signed to drive for Alpine F1 Team, alongside Esteban Ocon, with Renault having rebranded the team under its new name.

2021: Sebastian Vettel's podium at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

On his Aston Martin debut at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, Alonso, benefitting from the much-improved machinery of the Aston Martin AMR23, recovered from a first-lap contact with his teammate Lance Stroll without any damage and went on to finish in third place, securing a podium finish and Aston's first since Sebastian Vettel's podium at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

2022: Continues with Alpine, endures issues in Canadian Grand Prix

For the 2022 season, Fernando Alonso remained with Alpine. He started second in the Canadian Grand Prix, but had issues during the race, finishing ninth after a penalty.

2022: Most Career Starts

In 2022, Alonso broke the record for most career starts in Formula One.

2022: Contract extension

In August 2021, Alonso invoked an option to extend his contract for the 2022 season.

2023: Moved to Aston Martin and Finished Fourth

In 2023, Alonso moved to Aston Martin, achieving several podiums and finishing fourth in the World Drivers' Championship, he also scored his 100th career podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

2023: Joins Aston Martin

In 2023, Fernando Alonso joined Aston Martin on a multi-year deal, seeking a longer contract than Alpine was willing to offer.

2023: Podium finishes with Aston Martin

In 2023, Fernando Alonso secured a podium finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix on his Aston Martin debut. He finished third at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, marking his 100th podium. A penalty was reversed, keeping his podium position.

2024: 400th Grand Prix weekend

At the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, Alonso reached his four-hundredth Grand Prix weekend, becoming the first driver to achieve this milestone.

2024: Contested Four-Hundred Grands Prix

In 2024, Alonso became the first driver to contest four-hundred Grands Prix.

2025: A14 Management portfolio in 2025

As of 2025, Alonso's driver management company, A14 Management, included Maximilian Günther, Clément Novalak, Nikola Tsolov, Gabriel Bortoleto, Pepe Martí, Sebastián Montoya, Chloe Chambers, Cenyu Han, Andrés Cárdenas, and Carl Bennett in its portfolio of young drivers across several motorsport disciplines.