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 Champion, securing the titles in 2005 and 2006 with Renault, and has achieved 32 Grand Prix victories across 23 seasons. Alonso has also excelled in endurance racing, winning the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship and twice winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota. Notably, he is the only driver to have won both the Formula One World Drivers' Championship and the World Sportscar/World Endurance Drivers' Championship, solidifying his status as a versatile and successful motorsport competitor.

Sections (4)

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

1988: Children's Junior Championship of the Asturias and Galicia

In 1988, Alonso won the Children's Junior Championship of the Asturias and Galicia.

1989: Children's Junior Championship of the Asturias and Galicia

In 1989, Alonso won the Children's Junior Championship of the Asturias and Galicia.

1990: Wins Asturias and Basque Country Cadet Championship

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

1995: Third successive Spanish Junior National Championships

In 1995, Alonso won his third successive Spanish Junior National Championship.

July 1996: World karting championship victory

In July 1996, Alonso won his world karting championship victory, aged 14, in a kart with the number 14.

1996: Won Several Karting Championships

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

1996: CIK-FIA Five Continents Cup win

In 1996, at the age of fifteen, Alonso won the CIK-FIA Five Continents Cup.

1997: Italian and Spanish International A championships wins

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: Euro Open by Nissan Win

In 1999, Alonso won the Euro Open by Nissan.

1999: Car racing debut in Euro Open by Nissan

In 1999, at the age of seventeen, Alonso made his car racing debut in the Euro Open by Nissan with Campos Motorsport, winning the title from Manuel Gião.

2001: Wins Race of Champions Nations' Cup

In 2001, Alonso won the Race of Champions Nations' Cup.

2003: Joins Renault and becomes youngest polesitter and race winner

In 2003, Alonso joined Renault as a full-time driver. He became the youngest polesitter at the Malaysian Grand Prix and the youngest race winner at the Hungarian Grand Prix that year.

2003: Promoted to Renault race team

In 2003, Alonso was promoted to the Renault race team and broke the records of youngest driver to win a pole position at the Malaysian Grand Prix and youngest F1 race winner at the Hungarian Grand Prix later in the year.

2003: Autosport Gregor Grant Award and National Sports Award

In 2003, Fernando Alonso received the Autosport Gregor Grant Award for winning the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix and 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: Lorenzo Bandini Trophy Recipient

In April 2005, Fernando Alonso was named the recipient of the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy, adding to his accolades in motorsports.

October 2005: Prince of Asturias Award for Sports

In October 2005, Fernando Alonso received the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports, recognizing his achievements in Formula One.

2005: Wins First World Championship

In 2005, Alonso stayed at Renault and dueled with McLaren driver Kimi Räikkönen for the World Championship. Alonso won seven victories, six pole positions and fourteen podium finishes, eclipsing Emerson Fittipaldi as the youngest World Drivers' Champion.

2005: First Formula One World Championship Title

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

May 2006: Sportsman of the Year Award and Gold Medal of Sports Merit

From October 2005 to 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: Defends Title

In 2006, Alonso successfully defended his title from Michael Schumacher.

2006: Wins Second World Championship

In 2006, Alonso's primary competition was Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher. Alonso won six of the first nine races, led the championship, and ultimately won the championship by finishing second at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, becoming Formula 1's youngest double World Champion.

2006: Second Formula One World Championship Title

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

2006: Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year

In 2006, Fernando Alonso was named the Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year, recognizing his exceptional performance in motorsports.

2008: Returns to Renault and wins multiple races

In 2008, Alonso returned to Renault, winning multiple races, including the Singapore Grand Prix.

2008: Joins Renault, Wins in Singapore and Japan

In 2008, Fernando Alonso rejoined Renault on a two-year contract. He won the Singapore and Japan races that year. In the Singapore race, his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr. was ordered to deliberately crash. Alonso scored more points than any other driver in the final five races and finished 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, recognizing his widespread fame and financial success.

2011: Wins British Grand Prix, Finishes Fourth Overall

In 2011, Fernando Alonso won the British Grand Prix and claimed ten podium finishes. He finished fourth overall in the Drivers' Championship with 257 points.

June 2012: Forbes Names Alonso Top-Earning Driver

From June 2012, Forbes listed Fernando Alonso as one of the world's highest-paid athletes, naming him motorsport's top-earning driver from June 2012 to June 2013.

2012: Runner-Up in the Championship

In 2012, Fernando Alonso extended his contract with Ferrari until 2016. He won races in Malaysia, Valencia, and Germany. Despite leading the Drivers' Championship, he finished as runner-up for the second time in his career with 278 points.

June 2013: Forbes Lists Alonso as Top-Earning Driver

Forbes continued to list Fernando Alonso as motorsport's top-earning driver until June 2013, recognizing his high earnings from endorsements and his F1 salary.

2013: White helmet celebrating career points

At the 2013 Indian Grand Prix, Alonso sported a white helmet to celebrate his total career points scored up to the preceding Japanese Grand Prix of 1571, with the words "F1 points World Record".

2013: Wins in China and Spain, Finishes Second Overall

In 2013, Fernando Alonso won races in China and Spain. He finished second in the Drivers' Championship for the third time in his career with 242 points.

2015: Personality Media's favourite male athlete

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

2016: Forbes Lists Alonso as Top International Star

In 2016, Forbes recognized Fernando Alonso as one of the top-earning international stars, acknowledging his financial success in motorsports.

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

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

2017: Forbes Lists Alonso Among Highest-Paid Celebrities

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

2018: Moves into sportscar racing with Toyota

In 2018, Alonso moved into sportscar racing with Toyota, winning the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice.

2018: FIA World Endurance Championship Win

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

2018: Forbes Lists Alonso Among Highest-Paid Athletes

In 2018, Forbes continued to list Fernando Alonso as one of the world's highest-paid athletes, recognizing his high earnings from endorsements and his F1 salary.

2019: 24 Hours of Daytona Win

In 2019, Alonso won the 24 Hours of Daytona with WTR.

2019: Victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona

In 2019, Alonso won the rain-shortened 24 Hours of Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing, driving a Cadillac DPi-V.R alongside Kamui Kobayashi, Renger van der Zande, and Jordan Taylor.

2019: LMP1 Drivers' Championship win

In 2019, Alonso, along with Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima, won the LMP1 Drivers' Championship, including victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the end of the season Alonso left the series.

2019: FIA Hall of Fame Induction as 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: Podium finishes at Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Hungarian 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 (the German would finish second at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix but would be disqualified due to insufficient fuel sample).

2022: Breaks record for most career starts

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

2023: Podium Finishes at Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

In 2023, during his Aston Martin debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Alonso finished in third place, securing a podium finish. He finished in third again at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, marking his 100th podium. Following the race, he was issued another ten-second penalty due to serving the first one improperly at his pit stop, dropping him to fourth behind George Russell; however, the team's appeal was accepted and the second penalty was reversed, keeping his podium.