Frederico Suave’s name atop the IMS Scoring
pylon. (The Tomaso Collection)
“It’s a New, Endurance Record!”
Its strange how Formula 1 celebrates any and
all milestones. Since initially I was slightly Cornfuzed over All of the hubbub
commemorating Frederico Suave, aka Fred Alonso’s 400th Grand Prix weekend at Mexico
City.
Especially since I’d already noted to Thyself
that Alonso’s 400th Grand Prix Start, which is the more significant number to
Mwah wouldn’t occur until December 1st at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Nonetheless, the number 400 be it Grands Prix
weekends or Starts is absolutely mind blowing! Although I’d argue that this
truly staggering statistic has been significantly watered down by the fact that
Liberty Media has pushed the number of Grands Prix per season to an insane 24!
And is seeking to nudge it to 25, WTF!
Conversely, I find it somewhat surprising that
I still vividly remember Fernando Alonso’s Minardi PS01 chassis. Running a
somewhat long in the tooth European badged Ford VJ Zetec R 3.0-litre normally
aspirated V-10 lump’. For which its funny reading how the engine rated at
735bhp @16,000RPM’s was considered “obsolete!” Or definitely not cutting edge…
Having seen this tidy, mustashioed Minardi
racecar in person at Indianapolis during His rookie Formula 1 campaign for the
Minnowesqe back markers during the 2001 Formula 1 season. Along with another
Ice Cream eating Finnish F1 rookie named Kimi Raikkonen.
Its funny reading how Oliver Bearman, Liam
Lawson and Franco Colapinto weren’t even born yet! Or that Oscar Piastri was
born the year Alonso began in formula 1. Or that Lando Noris and Guanyu Zhou
were only two years old. And the list goes on and on…
Won’t try recapping Fernando’s entire Formula 1
career, or racing career in general, since it would take way too many pages.
Since I still cannot scribble a short story here upon No Fenders. Nor do I know
how much content my loyal readers want?
But I do tend to recall that Alonso took a year
“off” following that Minardi campaign as Renault’s test driver; being the
former Benetton F1 Team. And then in 2003, although I don’t recall the venue
anymore, Alonso had a massive shunt, totally destroying His Renault racecar in
shades of that horrific looking crash Martin Donnelly endured!
Alonso quickly became the scourge of Formula 1
for Mwah, since He ended Herr Schumacher’s F1 reign by having the audacity to
become World champion back-to-back in 2005-06. And quickly became known by the
moniker anointed by Blogmeister Miguel, Ferdi the Putz!
Although I knew the die had been casted that
day when Michael Schumacher was powerless to get around Alonso at San Marino,
with Alonso winning ahead of the German on Home soil…
Next Alonso, whom I’ve been calling Frederico
Suave for years now, spent an acrimonious year at McLaren with Bosom Buddy
Lewis Hamilton. For which I think we All know haw that went, Ci!
Alonso slinked back to Renault, who were on the
decline for 2008-09, before moving to la Scuderia. Driving for Ferrari between
2010-14. With one of my favourite memories being Alonso unable to get around
the lowly F1 rookie Vitaly VO5’ Petrov, ironically driving for Renault. And
Alonso wildly gesticulating at Petrov was No. 1 after losing the 2010 F1 World
championship to ‘lil Syd’ viddle, aka Sebastian Vettel!
Then there was the ill-fated move to McLaren
Honda for 2015. Where Alonso famously complained about the Honda PU being worse
than a GP2 engine! Even though Honda and its Red Bull Power Train derivative
Power Units (PU) have been Uber successful since 2021!
Fernando then moved back to le Reggie for His
Formula 1 return in 2021, albeit the team had now been rebranded as Alpine.
With Alonso on a two year contract, being “ousted’ when the team thought it had
successfully elevated Oscar Piastri to a race seat…
Fernando moved to Aston Martin for 2023, where
He’s currently under contract until 2026, when He’ll become 45 years old!
As Alonso’s last Formula 1 Pole was secured at
the 2012 German Grand Prix. With His latest win coming at His Home Spanish
Grand Prix in 2013, both driving for Ferrari. With the Smarmy Spaniard
currently ranked seventh overall with 32 career wins and 22 career Poles to
date.
As I’ve gone “Hot ‘n Cold” over Alonso during
His amazing racing career, mostly cold…
Although I thought it was great when Mclaren’s Zakery’
Brown and Alonso decided to skip the 2017 Monaco GP in favour of a “One-off”
Indianapolis 500 entry with Andretti Autosport. As the Fernando mania was great
for IndyCar! And Alonso was very impressive, before His Honda lump’ went
Kuhblamoe with 21-laps remaining!
Yet it was even sweeter when What’s His Name,
Err Kyle Kiser had the audacity to Bump Alonso from the field for the 2019 Indy
500 in the Minnowesqe Juncos Racing entry!
http://www.nofenders.net/2019/05/indy-500-dragonslayers.html
As Alonso’s reputation for Mwah was forever
tarnished during Renault’s Crash Gate, when teammate Nelson Piquet Jr.
deliberately crashed in order to trigger a Safety car deployment! Allowing
Alonso to ultimately win the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
While I’ll admit I had to look it up to see if
I remembered correctly that He was also involved in Espionage Gate? Better
known as Stepney Gate,when in 2007, McLaren was fined a record $100 million for
Nigel Stepney trying to bring Ferrari Intellectual Property to Woking. Whilst
Renault got off with a knuckle wrap for its IP improprieties…
Alonso’s also had a knack of wearing out His
welcome, with His three year McLaren contract mutually ended after one season.
Or leaving Ferrari early, along with also departing McLaren early a second
time, after His interest waned at the underperforming F1 outfit.
Alonso has also spent time in Sports Cars, both
in IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship. (WEC) Having won the 2019
Rolex 24 driving for Wayne Taylor Racing. Along with the 24 Heurs du Mans
back-to-back with Toyota between 2018-19. And winning the 2018-19 WEC Le Mans
Prototypes (LMP) title with co-drivers Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.
As Alonso claimed the mantle for most Grands
Prix starts when overtaking Kimi Raikkonen in 2022. For which the Finn had
surplanted Rubens Barrichello, the first driver to make more than 300 Starts.
While Alonso could conceivably become the first to a staggering 450! But Aston
Martin would have to extend His contract even further…
http://www.nofenders.net/2022/10/f1-alonso-moves-into-p1.html
