Fernando Alonso admits being ‘humble’ at Indy500 and Le Mans made him a ‘better F1 driver’

Fernando Alonso pointed out how participating in multiple categories like Indy500 and Le Mans made him a better driver in Formula 1.

Fernando Alonso admits being ‘humble’ at Indy500 and Le Mans made him a ‘better F1 driver’

Fernando Alonso (via IMAGO)

Fernando Alonso has participated in a multitude of motorsport categories apart from Formula 1. The Asturian driver has also been successful in racing in such categories. The 42-year-old has continued to drive in the pinnacle of motorsport and is continuously improving. Hence, Alonso reckoned that his past experiences in Le Mans and Indy500 were helpful to make him better in Formula 1.

Fernando Alonso has yet to achieve the motorsport’s triple crown by winning the Indy500. The 43-year-old had previously broken silence on returning to Indy500 in the coming future. However, Alonso believed one needed to be ‘humble’ while approaching a new racing category. The Asturian thinks that being a rookie in the new sport helped him absorb all the information from the specialists.

You have to be humble in your approach to a new series and when you are, it’s like being a beginner or rookie again: you are ready to absorb all the information that the specialists in that series are giving to you.
Fernando Alonso via Aston Martin’s official website
YouTube video

Subsequently, Alonso claimed that this way of approach in different series helped him be a better driver in Formula 1. Alonso has previously achieved two world championships and 32 race wins over his career. Although the Asturian couldn’t pinpoint the exact places he improved, he was sure that the added experience was of great help to him.

Being humble, absorbing everything I could from racing in those different series, made me a better F1 driver. I don’t know exactly in which area or what specific part of an F1 weekend, but I’m sure my experience and learnings from other series made me a better driver.

Fernando Alonso added

Fernando Alonso felt it was easy to fall into ‘a trap’ of not improving in other racing categories

Fernando Alonso is probably a driver with one of the greatest knowledge of motorsport racing due to his history. However, even the 43-year-old was afraid of falling short in performances at Indy500 and others. Alonso reckoned that after being ‘well established’ in Formula 1 it was easy to fall into the trap of not improving and learning new things.

You have to start from scratch because what you learn in F1 is not applicable in terms of a driving style for something like the Indy 500, endurance racing or off-road rally. When you are well established in F1, or any sport, it’s easy to fall into the trap of not improving or learning new things because you think that you know everything already.
Fernando Alonso noted
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso (via IMAGO)

The 2024 season has witnessed a tumultuous performance from Fernando Alonso. However, he still has at least two more years in the sport. Hence, Alonso could be deemed a great comeback in performance in the latter half of the season. Aston Martin’s struggling pace has caught the two-time world champion off-guard as he has fallen down the pecking order.

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