How many F1 championships does Fernando Alonso have?

A glimpse into Fernando Alonso's accomplishments and achievements.

Fernando alonso (Credits: racefans.net)

Fernando Alonso Diaz is widely regarded as one of the greatest racing drivers in the history of Formula One. The most successful Spaniard to ever grace the sport, he is renowned for his exceptional racecraft and ability to outperform the machinery beneath him. As the longest-standing Formula One driver, he boasts the most extensive race experience.

Throughout his 20-year career in Formula One, Alonso won two championships, both of which he secured while driving for the former Renault Racing team. He debuted in 2001 with Minardi, slowly but surely establishing himself as a formidable presence on the grid. By 2002, he had become a test driver with Renault, and a year later, he was promoted to a full-time seat with the French outfit by Falvia Briatore.

It was during his time with Renault that Alonso truly began to make his mark on the sport. Despite facing stiff competition from big-name teams and successful drivers, he steadily worked his way to the top. In 2003, he became the youngest pole-sitter at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and the very next day, he became an F1 race winner, cementing his position as a serious contender. This victory marked the beginning of an impressive tally of 32 wins and 22 poles for Alonso.

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Fernando Alonso remained with the Renault team for the following season and finished fourth in the championship standings. The year 2004 marked Michael Schumacher’s seventh world title win, but little did the German know that the young Spaniard would end his five-year-long domination.

2005: First Championship, Fernando Alonso vs. Michael Schumacher

Fernando Alonso with Renault in 2005 (Credits: Racefans.net)

The year 2005 marked the first time that Michael Schumacher was not in the title contention, eventually finishing third in the championship. A healthy battle ensued between Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen throughout the season, with both drivers winning seven races each. However, from the start, it was Alonso’s season to dominate. The lead never swapped hands, and Raikkonen only managed to come close to the Spaniard.

At a mere 24 years of age, Fernando demonstrated masterful driving at the San Marino Grand Prix, despite experiencing engine issues and defending against the Red Baron. He won his first championship with two more races to spare, overthrowing Schumacher from the throne and putting an end to Ferrari and Michael Schumacher‘s domination.

2006: Back-to-Back Championships

Fernando Alonso Michael Schumacher at Brazil 2006 (Credits: planetf1)

After clinching the driver and constructor’s titles the previous year, Fernando and Renault entered the fray hoping for another effortless championship. However, the Ferrari and Schumacher partnership had other plans. While Fernando dominated the championship for the majority of the season, the German mounted a comeback in the second half of the season. The rivalry between two generational talents spiced up the championship. With just two races, Michael Schumacher delivered a knockout punch by winning the Chinese GP, drawing level on points with the championship contenders. The Chinese GP was the seven-time champion’s final career win, and announced his retirement after the 2006 season.

The next race in Japan was nerve-wracking for fans, and luck was on the Spaniard’s side as the seven-time champion retired, and Fernando regained his lead to win the championship in the finale at Interlagos. This was both the driver’s and constructor’s last championship to date. Fernando is often known for outclassing his teammates, and he did just that with his Renault teammates Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella.

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2007: Rookie Lewis Hamilton ruins Fernando Alonso’s third title chase

Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton forMcLaren in 2007 — Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton for McLaren in 2007 (Credits: The Mirror)

Following his second championship win with Renault, Fernando Alonso signed with McLaren for the 2007 season, where he was paired with rookie Lewis Hamilton. However, the two had a tumultuous relationship throughout the year and ended up tying in championship standings, only to be beaten by Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari, who had replaced the retired Michael Schumacher. The season was also marred by the Spygate scandal, which led to McLaren being disqualified from the constructor’s championship but allowed the drivers to keep their points. Lewis Hamilton’s impressive rookie season was too much, Alonso.

Coming back home: 2008-09

Alonso then returned to Renault for the 2008 season, where he won two races, including the controversial Singapore GP, and finished fourth in the championship standings. In 2009 bad luck followed him, and he did not win any races.

2010-2014: Fernando Alonso is Red

Fernando Alonso in Ferrari (Credits: Sky Sports F1)

The Spniard’s move to Ferrari marked a new chapter in his career. The 2010 season was highly unpredictable, with the championship lead changing hands almost every race, with four drivers in contention for the title. Fernando got off to a strong start by winning the Bahrain Grand Prix and took an early lead in the championship standings. He went on to win a total of five races that season and secured two pole positions.

However, his rivals for the championship, including Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel, also had exceptional seasons. Fernando had his first and only grand helm of his career at the Singapore Grand Prix, where he held off Vettel to take an amazing win.

Fernando Alonso, España 2006. #F1 pic.twitter.com/ujqtdxhUbc
— BoxInThisLap (@BoxInThisLap) March 8, 2023

Going into the final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Fernando had the lead in the championship. However, a strategic blunder by the Ferrari team boss during a pit stop caused him to fall to seventh place, behind Vitaly Petrov’s Renault. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t find a way to pass Petrov due to his worn tires. Meanwhile, Vettel cruised to victory with a bit of luck on his hands and became the youngest-ever champion in the sport’s history.

The 2011 season was a dry spell for the Spaniard. The Ferrari was no match for the dominant Red Bull and Vettel, who went on to dominate the season. Fernando only secured one win and finished fourth in the championship standings.

2012: The prime Alonso

Fernando after Malaysian Gp (Credits: Car Advice)

In 2012, Fernando Alonso had his best season in Formula One. Despite driving for the Italian team Ferrari, which lacked competitive machinery, Alonso proved his mettle as a driver by outperforming expectations. The Ferrari car was only the fourth fastest on the grid, and Alonso’s teammate, Felipe Massa, was not a strong contender, scoring only 122 points to Alonso’s impressive 278 points, resulting in a seventh-place finish in the standings.

Against all odds, Alonso defied predictions and demonstrated his impressive driving skills by squeezing the most out of his Ferrari, even in situations where the car had no chance of winning. He took the battle to the top teams, Red Bull and McLaren, and pushed them to their limits. In particular, he went toe-to-toe with the current champion, Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, and gave him a run for his money.

One of Alonso’s best performances of the season was at the Valencia Grand Prix, where he qualified only 11th on the grid. The streets of Valencia are notoriously difficult to overtake, but Alonso delivered one of the best drives in the history of the sport, passing almost every car on the road and taking the checkered flag. However, the defining moment of the championship came at the final race of the season in Brazil, where Alonso needed to finish second or higher to win the championship, and Vettel needed only a sixth-place finish to secure his third consecutive championship.

Por todos los que llevamos viendo carreras toda la vida, los que hemos sufrido todos sus subcampeonatos, los que llevamos sufriendo desde 2012 con Fernando Alonso en P20-P15, los que hemos tenido que escuchar los "esta viejo" / "ya no es lo que era"

Ahora nos toca a nosotros. pic.twitter.com/m4FqUqBn38
— Luis_Ledesma (@LuuisLedesma) March 4, 2023

At the start of the race, Vettel qualified in first place, while Alonso qualified in eighth. However, Vettel crashed out on the first lap, damaging his front wing and dropping to last place. Alonso then started to make his way up the field, trying to increase his chances of winning his third championship. However, Vettel mounted a remarkable recovery, and with several drivers crashing out mid-race due to a sudden downpour, Vettel was comfortably in sixth place. Despite Alonso finishing in second place, Vettel had more points, snatching the championship from Alonso’s grasp.

Although he lost the championship, Alonso’s 2012 season is still considered his best effort due to the sheer calibre of his driving. He proved that he was one of the best drivers in the sport, pushing his car beyond its limits and taking on the top teams. In 2013, Red Bull had a dominant season, and Ferrari struggled with an incompetent aerodynamics package. Despite this, Fernando Alonso managed to secure the runner-up spot with two wins to his name. The following year marked the beginning of the turbo hybrid era and Mercedes’ domination. Unfortunately, Ferrari was severely outclassed, and Alonso could not win any races with his Ferrari.

2015-2018: The part-2 with McLaren

Fernando back with McLaren — Fernando is back with McLaren (Credits: F1)

Following his failed stint at Ferrari, Alonso returned to the McLaren team in 2015, which ultimately turned out to be a faulty career move. The team produced a terrible car that struggled to compete, even at the midfield. Despite his best efforts, Alonso struggled with the team for four years before bidding adieu to the sport in 2018.

2018-2020: Far from formula 1

Alonso left Formula 1 and ventured into other racing series, aiming to win the coveted triple crown. Unfortunately, he was unable to achieve this goal. He won 24 Hours of LeMans and the FIA World Endurance Championship. He raced in the IndyCar series and Dakar rally during his time away from F1.

Return to Formula 1 in 2021

Fernando back to F1 in Alpine (Credits: F1)

Fernando Alonso made his comeback to Formula 1 in 2021 with the Alpine racing team, pairing with Esteban Ocon. In his first year back, he secured his 98th podium at Qatar and continued with the team for the 2022 season. Although Alonso outperformed Ocon in both race and qualifying head-to-head battles, he was outscored by his teammate for the first time since his pairing with Lewis Hamilton.

2023- In Green with Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso in Aston Martin for 2023 (Credits: The Mirror)

For the 2023 season, Alonso moved to Aston Martin, a move that was met with criticism. However, he and Aston Martin silenced the critics by scoring a podium in the debut weekend itself. Alonso supported the team in creating solid Aston Martin’s for him and teammate Lance Stroll.

Hello 2023! We are @AstonMartinF1 ?. #NewEnergy #AstonMartin #f1 pic.twitter.com/oQJGHGKfJp
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) March 6, 2023

Fernando Alonso had a very exciting career in Formula 1 has been filled with ups and downs, from dominant seasons to struggling with inferior cars. Despite this, his passion for racing has never wavered, and he continues to push himself to be the best. He is part of the lite F1 greats bracket that includes Alian Prost, Ayrton Senna, and more.