Alonso and his dad join Zak Brown for some “season-end fun” with legendary Senna Car

Clips from fans of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso stretching the legs of a very special, screaming V10 McLaren have been circulating on socials as of late. The occasion? The two-time world champion and former McLaren driver reunited with his former boss, Zak Brown for a very special track day, with Alonso’s father, Jose Luis Alonso, in tow. 

The Papaya boss’ extensive car collection is well known for having quite a few notable race cars, and over the years if he’s not racing them himself in vintage events, he’s inviting friends to enjoy them on track with him. This particular friends-only adventure took some of Brown’s prized cars, and the trio to Alcainz, Spain.

Making an appearance on track from Brown’s collection was a 1976 Australian Sports Sedan Championship-winning DeKon Monza, along with a five-time IMSA-winning 1989 TWR Jaguar XJR-10, and the 2011 Holden Commodore that won the Bathurst 1000 with Brown’s former team, Walkinshaw Racing.

But the crown jewel of this gathering was Ayrton Senna’s double-world championship-winning McLaren-Honda MP4/5. Making the day extra special,  Fernando and his father were provided a pair of Ayrton Senna’s overalls to wear before snapping a few photos alongside the car, and eventually taking the legend’s car for a spin.

As is the case for the vast majority of F1 fans, Senna served as an inspiration for a young Fernando, as the then-McLaren driver told SennaTV in 2017.

“I think he was an inspiration for many of us [in] that generation,” he said. “We switched on the television and we saw that car winning, that yellow helmet winning, [and] we wanted to become Formula 1 drivers one day. Just because of him. So I think he’s one of the greatest for sure.”

Fernando later shared a series of photos from the trip and his personal archives to his socials, including an adorable one of him as a youngster in a McLaren-themed red and white kart. Another showed his father making himself comfortable in the 16-time race-winning MP4/5 as Fernando crouched by his side to seemingly share some helpful tips.

The Aston Martin driver later shared a touching tribute to his father on Instagram, saying it was “impossible to compensate my parents for everything [they] have given and taught me.” He also added a thank you note to Brown, expressing his gratitude for the American allowing him to “enjoy” Senna’s iconic McLaren “from time to time.”

Brown too reflected on an exciting day at the circuit on Instagram, sharing a snap of him and Fernando posing alongside the double world championship-winning McLaren.