Fernando Alonso's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Fernando Alonso.

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: Won Karting Championships

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

1995: Won Spanish Junior National Championship

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

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.

1999: Won Euro Open by Nissan

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

2001: Won Race of Champions Nations' Cup

Alonso won the 2001 Race of Champions Nations' Cup.

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: Awards for Winning the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix

In 2003, Fernando Alonso received the Autosport Gregor Grant Award for winning the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix. He also won the Princess Cristina National Sports Award for sporting newcomer.

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: Recipient of the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy

In April 2005, Fernando Alonso was named the recipient of the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy.

October 2005: Prince of Asturias Award for Sports

In October 2005, Fernando Alonso received the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports.

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.

May 2006: Awards for Winning the 2005 F1 World Championship

In May 2006, Fernando Alonso received the Premios Nacionales del Deporte Sportsman of the Year Award and the Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit for winning the 2005 F1 World Championship.

2006: Named Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year

Fernando Alonso was named the 2006 Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year.

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.

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.

2010: Popular driver in Grand Prix Drivers' Association fan surveys

In 2010, Alonso was among the top two most popular drivers in the Grand Prix Drivers' Association fan surveys.

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.

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: 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.

2015: Favorite male athlete in Spain

In 2015, Alonso was Personality Media's favorite male athlete with a 99 percent recognition rating amongst the Spanish public.

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

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

2017: Popular driver in Grand Prix Drivers' Association fan surveys

In 2017, Alonso was among the top two most popular drivers in the Grand Prix Drivers' Association fan surveys.

2017: Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and Induction into FIA Hall of Fame

In 2017, Fernando Alonso was voted the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year for his performance in the Indianapolis 500. He was also inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame as a F1 World Champion.

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.

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: Won FIA World Endurance Championship

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

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.

2019: Inducted into FIA Hall of Fame as FIA World Endurance Champion

In 2019, Fernando Alonso was inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame as a FIA World Endurance Champion, making him the first driver to be inducted twice.

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.

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.