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Top 25: Fernando Alonso’s greatest F1 drives

Fernando Alonso starts his final Formula 1 Grand Prix for the foreseeable future in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Here are some classic performances from the two-time world champion...

Charles Bradley
Charles Bradley
Edited:
Fernando Alonso, Renault R26
2001 Spanish Grand Prix
In his fifth grand prix for Minardi, Alonso qualified 18th – ahead of Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella and Jaguar's Pedro de la Rosa (who he's pictured racing into Turn 1). He finished 13th, ahead of Fisichella and his teammate Jenson Button!
2001 Japanese Grand Prix
Alonso qualified 18th and finished 11th, ahead of Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Prost), Olivier Panis (BAR) and both Arrows.
2003 Spanish Grand Prix
Qualified his Renault third behind a Ferrari front-row lockout, then beat Rubens Barrichello to second in the race, behind Michael Schumacher.
2003 Hungarian Grand Prix
Alonso eclipsed Bruce McLaren's record to become the youngest-ever grand prix winner with a lights-to-flag victory from pole.
2004 French Grand Prix
Perhaps his greatest defeat? Ferrari's Michael Schumacher deployed an incredible four-stop strategy to overcome Alonso, who had beaten him to pole.
2005 San Marino Grand Prix
In an epic display of defensive driving in the closing stages, Alonso held off Schumacher to record his best victory to date.
2005 Japanese Grand Prix
The race might be better remembered for Kimi Raikkonen's last-gasp pass on Giancarlo Fisichella for the win, but Alonso starred too – charging from 16th to third.
2006 Hungarian Grand Prix
From 15th on the grid, after a 2sec penalty for brake-testing Robert Doornbos in practice, Alonso took just 17 laps to get into the lead – including an amazing pass on title rival Schumacher. His masterful performance was ended by a driveshaft failure that pitched him into the wall at Turn 2 after a pitstop.
2006 Japanese Grand Prix
His last win for Renault (for now, at least!) before moving to McLaren. Alonso was embroiled in a battle with Michael Schumacher for victory when Schuey's engine blew up, the win virtually assuring Alonso of a second title.
2007 European Grand Prix (Nurburgring)
An insane race at times, as a thunderstorm halted the event. At the restart, Alonso prevailed after a tough battle with Ferrari's Felipe Massa.
2007 Italian Grand Prix
Alonso's fourth win of the season, but his last for McLaren.
2008 Japanese Grand Prix
After his victory in Singapore (the most controversial of his career!), Alonso made it two from two at Fuji next time out by defeating a stern challenge from BMW's Robert Kubica.
2010 Bahrain Grand Prix
Alonso scored a fortuitous victory on his first start for Ferrari, as leader Sebastian Vettel suffered a spark plug issue that dropped him to fourth.
2010 Italian Grand Prix
Scored Ferrari's first win on home soil since the Schumacher era, by over-cutting the McLaren of Jenson Button.
2010 Singapore Grand Prix
With echoes of Imola 2005, Alonso clung on to record victory by 0.293s despite intense pressure from Vettel.
2010 Korean Grand Prix
In a rain-affected race that ended in near-darkness, Alonso's fifth victory of the year (despite a botched pitstop) put him in the points lead as Vettel suffered an engine failure and Lewis Hamilton made a mistake.
2011 British Grand Prix
With Vettel delayed in a pitstop, Alonso took full advantage to win by 16s. It would be his, and Ferrari's, only win of the season.
2012 Malaysian Grand Prix
In mixed weather conditions, Alonso held off the surprise challenge of Sauber's Sergio Perez.
2012 European Grand Prix (Valencia)
After a strategic error in qualifying meant he started 11th, a dramatic race unfolded. With a little help from a safety car period, and some great overtakes, Alonso ended up with a comfortable lead.
2012 Brazilian Grand Prix
Failed to win the race or the title, but Alonso drove a blinder from eighth on the grid to finish second. Button just stayed agonisingly out of reach up front, as Vettel just did enough to grab the title.
2013 Spanish Grand Prix
Started only fifth, but pulled off some amazing moves in front of his home crowd. He passed Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton in one move, undercut Vettel and then swept past leader Nico Rosberg for his last F1 victory. Inspired.
2014 Hungarian Grand Prix
From fifth on the grid, Alonso moved into the lead mid-race, and looked good to win until a charging Daniel Ricciardo – on much fresher tyres – picked him off with a couple of laps to go. But he clung on to finish second.
2016 United States Grand Prix
From 12th on the grid in his recalcitrant McLaren-Honda, Alonso battled his way through to fifth – biffing his way past Massa and "yeehaw"-ing ahead of Carlos Sainz.
2018 Australian Grand Prix
Storming drive to fifth from 11th on the grid, which included holding off Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
With both right-side tyres punctured in a collision, Alonso manhandled his car back to the pits. Not only that, he dragged it up to finish seventh – just 10s off the leader! Later he declared it "an unrepeatable race".
25

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