Future World Champion?
Fernando Alonso (Spain)
* The birth of a super star *
At a time when drivers entering F1 seem ever younger, it's worth noting that the Spaniard took part in his first kart event at the age of three!
By the age of seven he was a regular karter and by the age of twelve Fernando was Spain's Junior Karting Champion, a title he held for four years in addition to winning the World Junior Kart Championship in 1996 at the age of 15.
Progressing to Inter-A Karting, Fernando won the Spanish (twice) and Italian titles before progressing to single-seaters, the Euro-Open Movistar Nissan Championship, which he won at the first attempt, winning 6 races and starting from pole on 9 occasions.
The following season, aged eighteen he graduated to F3000, finishing second in Hungary and first in Belgium and subsequently finishing fourth in the championship behind Junqueira, Minassian and Webber.
In 2001, at that time under the management of Benetton F1 boss Flavio Briatore, Alonso was signed to the Anglo-Italian outfit as test driver. However in a surprise move the youngster was loaned to Minardi with whom he made his F1 debut on March 4 at Melbourne, becoming the third youngest driver to start an F1 Grand Prix.
In hopelessly under-performing equipment the youngster was sensational, out-qualifying some of his more illustrious rivals. Sadly due to TV directors' insistence on focussing on the front-runners, much of Fernando's finest driving went almost un-noticed.
For 2002 Fernando returned to Benetton, now under the ownership of Renault, as test driver, and in mid-summer it came as no real surprise when it was announced that he would replace Jenson Button for 2003.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Fernando was the sensation of 2003, this came as no surprise to those who spotted his talent back in 2001, but made the rest of the world sit up and take notice.
Finishing third in Malaysia and Brazil followed by a fine second in his home race it was simply a question of when, not if, he would win his first Grand Prix. In Hungary the youngster went into the history books as the youngest driver to win a Grand Prix, having become the youngest pole-sitter at the start of the season in Malaysia.
For much of the early part of the 2004 season, Fernando was outshone by teammate Jarno Trulli, certainly in qualifying. Despite his undoubted bravery and ability, the youngster still has much to learn, namely his tendency to over-drive the car, in addition to his Latin temperament. One only has to look back to his 2003 accident at Interlagos which was totally needless.
Watching him, there are moments when one genuinely fears for him, hoping that he doesn't have to learn his lesson the hard way. That said, his is an outrageous talent, and a wonder to behold.
Like Michael Schumacher, Fernando gets all he can out of a car, and often the end result flatters the machinery.
In spite of his (relative) failure in qualifying, his sheer speed, and the R24's status as the ultimate in 'getaway cars', the Spaniard usually made up for his poor grid position at the start races, mixing it with the front runners by the time they reached the first corner.
Despite a strong start to the season, Renault clearly lost ground in the second half of the year, though at times it appeared that someone had forgotten to tell Fernando. Although it was Button, and of course Ferrari, grabbing all the headlines, the young Spaniard gave some bravura performances, Japan and Brazil immediately spring to mind.
Fernando has a good sense of humour and is highly popular, the inhabitants of the paddock delighted to see a driver that actually smiles for a change, someone who actually appears to remember that it's still a sport.
Providing Renault can give him the right equipment, and that he can calm down just a little - without losing any of his pace - we are almost certainly looking at a potential World Champion. Surely, it is only a matter of time.
Furthermore, it is interesting to note that in the wake Fernando's success, F1 has finally found popularity in Spain.
pitpass.com
gallery.autosport-atlas.com
gallery.autosport-atlas.com |
