FAQ: Fernando Alonso answers the questions fans really want to know
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Did you pass your driving test first time? What was your toughest race? What tattoo should I get, and will you come to my wedding? Fernando Alonso fields these questions and more from I / AM members. And, with the help of AI and our friends at ElevenLabs and DeepReel, you can listen to this feature in English, Spanish and French in the voice of Fernando using the player above.
You asked, Fernando answered.
Focused. Formidable. Fearless. For more than two decades in Formula One, the Spaniard has struck fear into rivals and inspired onlookers. Small wonder fans are fascinated by Fernando.
As we celebrate his 400th Grand Prix this weekend in Mexico, we gave I / AM members the opportunity to ask the two-time World Champion anything.
Of the thousands of questions we received, we identified some of the most frequently asked. From what it feels like to stand on the podium to tattoo ideas and what he actually gets up to outside the cockpit, I / AM members put their questions to Fernando in this unique interview...
Will you come to my wedding?
Bailey from Australia:
I've named the tables at my wedding after the Formula One teams and there's a spot waiting for you at the Aston Martin table. Come to my wedding?
FA:
"Congratulations, first of all! That's a very good idea to name the tables after the F1 teams. I would love to join the Aston Martin family and table but, unfortunately, I think I will be busy racing, but big, big congratulations and all the best for your future."
How has F1 changed?
Cristina from Spain:
How do you feel the sport has evolved since you first started and in what ways has your approach as a driver adapted to stay competitive over the years?
FA:
"I think F1 has evolved in many ways in the 22 years that I've been in the sport. I think the biggest and most important is safety. I would say that F1 introduced some safety devices that are definitely helping the sport. The circuits are more prepared to host F1 races as well. The cars, the equipment that we have and we wear at the races, the pitstops – all the things that happen in a race weekend are a little bit safer now thanks to all the teams and the FIA.
"I think in terms of performance and the show, it hasn't changed much. I think the DNA of F1 is still the same; we start on Sunday with 20 drivers and we want to get to the finish line as fast as possible. The technology has evolved. We have hybrid engines now. We have very efficient fuel consumption. We have different tyres but the same manufacturer for everyone now with Pirelli, so you're always trying to learn new things about these changes to stay competitive. There are different details here and there but the nature of F1 and the DNA is still exactly the same."
Give me some advice?
Emma from the United Kingdom:
What advice would you give to your younger self?
FA:
"Advice... I'm not a very good adviser! To myself, I would say to enjoy the journey. When you're young and get to F1, you have the opportunity to drive these cars, your dream has come true to become an F1 driver, but then maybe you are not enjoying the process. You are not aware of how privileged you are and the things that happen around you. You think everything is normal and everything is part of your job and your life, but you lose a little bit of perspective of how privileged and honoured you are.
"Now with time and with age, I appreciate more things. Like now, this journey with Aston Martin, I am enjoying every second of it. I feel extremely proud to be part of this brand and this team and I'm enjoying every second, and it's advice I'd give to young drivers."
Did you pass your driving test first time?
Isabelle from Ireland:
At what age did you get your driver's licence and did you pass at your first attempt?
FA:
"At 18, at the first opportunity. I had been waiting for my driver's licence since I was 16 or 15. I was counting days, and then I remember I had my birthday in July but in August all the exams were closed and the schools were closed for the driver's licence, so I had to wait until September, which for me that month felt like one year. And then, in September, I passed the exam at the first go. It was quite stressful, but it was fine."
What tattoo should I get?
Laura and Joey from Tarragona, Spain:
Could you give me some suggestions of what kind of tattoo I could have?
FA:
"It's very personal and very difficult to give you any idea. As you may know, I'm a fan of Japan and Japanese culture and I have a samurai on my back. I would say something around Japanese culture. Normally there are a lot of great ideas for tattoos. Search something about Japan and you will probably be happily surprised."
What's it like to stand on the podium?
Michele Gayapersad from Trinidad and Tobago:
What does standing on the podium feel like? Is there anything in particular you look for or think of?
FA: "The feeling is something really special because it's the conclusion of a weekend. It’s not just the race on Sunday. When you're on the podium, you think about Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday; preparation into the race, discussion with your engineers, with your mechanics, setup work that has been done in the Free Practices; the Qualifying lap that had to be really special to start at the front, and then the race where many things can happen. There is the start, lap one action, pitstops, strategy, Safety Cars. There are so many things that, when you're on the podium, it has to be a mix of everything having been perfect that weekend and that race.
"The first thing that I do when I'm on the podium is just to look down to see all the team – mechanics, engineers, marketing, people from the kitchen. Everyone is there just celebrating that moment. And then I think about who is watching on the television at home: my family, my friends, and hopefully they are as proud as I am up there on the podium."
What do you like to do when you're not driving an F1 car?
Olivia Williams from the United States:
What's your favourite thing to do outside of F1?
FA: "Normally sport would be my first pick and my favourite thing to do outside F1. When I'm at home, I'm not really a guy that enjoys sitting in front of the TV. I'm a very active person, so going to the gym, playing padel with my friends, tennis, bicycle, football, whatever around sport will make my day happier and better.
"But also spending time with family. We spend 250 days a year away racing around the world, and then when I'm at home, I love to spend time with my family, I love to go to a restaurant with them, have a nice dinner, relaxing as well. So, the moments that are routine and normal for most people, for me are a luxury time. I enjoy being a normal person outside F1."
What would you be if you weren't an F1 driver?
Liv Wickers from the United Kingdom:
If you weren't an F1 driver, what occupation would you do?
FA:
"This is a question I ask myself as well. It's not that easy to answer. I've been driving all my life. My first go-kart race was when I was three years old and now I'm 43. So, 40 years of my life of the 43, I've been behind a steering wheel. It's not that easy to imagine myself doing something else other than driving cars. I love all sports, in particular I love cycling. I always thought that if I wasn't in F1, maybe I'd be a cyclist or something around bicycles would be my second passion, so I would say that."
What was your toughest race?
Tristan Derosiaux from France:
Which race has been the most difficult physically and mentally for you?
FA:
"Difficult races... I'm sure we have a lot of those in my memory. It's not easy to choose one. Singapore is always very demanding. I think, physically, the most demanding race I ever did was Qatar 2023 in F1. That was quite extreme in the way that we could not really finish the race in good conditions. It was the same for many drivers. The temperature and humidity were very extreme there.
"Mentally, I would choose another race which for me was very demanding, and it was the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in the World Endurance Championship in 2019. I was with Toyota back then and we had four seasons of weather conditions that day. We had differing stints with dry tyres and maximum pace. We had rain. We had snow at one point. The race didn't stop. They didn't put out the red flag, so we kept on racing.
"I think, mentally, to keep the focus over those stints and not making any mistakes with the changeable conditions on track was for me very demanding mentally. I still remember that I was exhausted after the race from the mental exercise that we had to do."
Who would like your last race to be against?
Tom from the United Kingdom:
If you had one final race in a go-kart before you hang your helmet up, which three drivers would you choose to race against – any series, any era?
FA:
"Not easy. I would choose probably, right now, Max Verstappen. I would choose Lewis Hamilton. And I would choose, for the third one I'm thinking of another series, not F1. I would maybe take Sébastien Ogier from rally. I would take them to different go-kart circuits and have some nice afternoons battling and just enjoying ourselves. That would be a perfect plan."
What are your ambitions outside of F1?
Mark Szeiner from Slovakia:
Do you have any other goals you want to achieve outside of F1?
FA:
"I think we all have goals outside our professional activity. On the personal side, there are always things that you want to achieve. In my case, it would be to have my own family one day. It's something that I've been delaying and I've been postponing because F1 is very demanding and I'm never at home. That will be a goal on the personal side.
"On the professional, I would say that winning a Championship and winning a Grand Prix is still my first priority right now, and doing it with Aston Martin. After Formula One, maybe attempting another Dakar rally. That will be another goal for me in the future after F1, and yeah, keep enjoying life."
Thank you to all our I / AM members who sent a question for Fernando to answer. We received thousands of questions and there simply wasn't enough time to answer them all. An incredible show of support, we are grateful to every one of you who took part. Please stay tuned for more opportunities to get closer to the team with I / AM.
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