Fernando Alonso: Geared up for glory

What sets Formula One (F1) 2003 apart from that of 2002? Well, it might be that Ferrari has just launched its new, powerful and now two-time race-winning F2003-GA. It might also be that Juan Pablo Montoya has just been caught speeding at 204 km/hour in the French Alps. It might be that this is the last time the Grand Prix (GP) would set foot in Austria. Then again, it just might be because of Fernando Alonso. Fernando who? If you’re an avid Ferrari fan like me who’s so caught up with Michael Schumacher, I suggest you read on before you race to your next appointment.

This 21-year-old heartthrob, who makes his fans’ heartbeats race, has been doing more than just making his presence felt at the Formula One Grand Prix. Fact is, Fernando Alonso has been stunning fellow drivers, media, and the public alike with topnotch performances from one race to another. With the exception of the Austrian GP, Fernando has led his team, Renault, to five successive point-scoring races, three of which were even high enough to take him to the podium. Indeed, he is no stranger to winning as you would soon see.

Born in 1981 in Asturias, Oviedo, Spain, Fernando must have entered the world with a steering wheel in his hand. At age three, he joined his very first karting competition. In 1988, at the tender age of seven, he claimed his first championship title by sweeping eight of the eight races in the children’s category. By 1989, he had emerged as two-time champion in Asturias as well as in Galicia. In 1990, he moved on to the cadet category and claimed two more championship titles. More and more victories followed as Fernando moved from one category to the next. In 1997, he was named the champion in both Spain and Italy. He duplicated the feat in Spain in 1998. With handfuls of titles to his name, Fernando hopped onto the Euro-Open Movistar in 1999. Continuing his winning streak, he was the champion that year. With a rapidly progressing career, he joined the Formula 3000 in 2000 and won a 2nd and 1st classified title. It was here that he caught the eye of Flavio Briatore, the Renault team principal, who would introduce him to the world of Formula One. By year 2001, he had set his debut in F1 by joining the Minardi team while also being driver for Benetton Renault. In 2002, he became a test driver for Renault and in 2003, he took his team to high-speed glory.

Early on, Fernando Alonso earned praises from F1 notables like Sir Jackie Stewart who truly believed that the young man had a very promising driving career. In fact, Stewart was convinced that Fernando might one day even surpass the legendary Michael Schumacher of Ferrari. Other racing greats also see a future world champ in the young Renault driver.

Although he was not able to complete the 71 laps of the 4.326 km circuit in Austria, Fernando still remarkably showed what he could do with a Renault car. Having had a bad drive in the qualifying session the day before, he had no choice but to settle for the very back of the lineup, the 19th pole. To make things even worse, he had to use a spare car after having acquired a hydraulic leak. And to rub salt on the wound, the pit lane closed on him so that he was left to start at the pits. Nevertheless, all this did not dampen his driving. After two aborted starts, the race finally got underway and so did Fernando’s drive to the checkered flag. By the 1st lap, he had quickly moved to 16th place and by lap 5, he was already 12.5 seconds away from the race leader, Michael Schumacher, despite starting from the pits. A little rainfall made the tracks rather slippery by lap 15. However, Fernando hurdled the odds and moved to 10th place. A little later, in lap 32, he moved up to 5th place just as Montoya withdrew from the race. With my pulse racing, I thought Fernando could still make his way up and he sure did, setting his fastest lap on the 34th. At this point, everyone wondered when Fernando would drive into the pit lane for his fuel reload as he was the only one among the top 5 who had not done so yet. Eventually, he made a 9.8-second pit stop in the 37th lap and dropped a little down to 6th place when he rejoined in lap 38. With a loaded tank, Fernando was all revved up to move up the ranks, or so his cheering fans anticipated. Unfortunately, he oil-spilled in lap 45, causing his car to slip and costing him the race. Nevertheless, the 44 laps he completed showed that he could drive his way to the front all the way from the pits.

Indeed, this guy is driven. Shy-, even angelic-, looking, this daredevil will not dillydally when it comes to reaching his ultimate goal: To become the Formula One world champion. Surely, F1 races just keep getting more and more heart-stoppingly exciting! And without a doubt, Fernando Alonso is another reason to tune in to Formula One.

Don’t forget to watch the Monegasque GP on Sunday!

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E-mail me at ice_wave_42@yahoo.com.