Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz (born 29th July, 1981 in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain) is a Spanish former Formula One driver who is also currently the team principal of the Fernando Alonso Speed Team. He is the 2005 Formula One world champion.
Formula One
2001
Alonso's Formula One debut would come at the hands of the Benetton Arrows team alongside fellow young gun Jenson Button. Despite the pair's enthusiasm and hunger, the Arrows failed to match their young driver's desires in their final season and Alonso was only able to take a single point all season.
2002
Alonso and Button remained together in 2002, albeit with a new outfit following the rebranding of Arrows to Renault. Alonso began to get comfortable in his new environment, taking several points finishes in the early stages of the season - his best being a pair of fourth places in Austria and Canada. Alonso would also upset the timing sheets by taking an unexpected fastest lap on the streets of Monte-Carlo on his way to sixth. Fernando Alonso would finish his sophomore season in F1 in a much improved seventh position in the WDC.
2003
Button would vacate the team following a bust-up with team principal Flavio Briatore in the off-season, meaning Alonso would be joined by ex-Jaguar driver Mark Webber. Alonso's season got off to a great start, taking a career best second position (and another fastest lap) in the opening race of the season in Australia behind McLaren's James James Davies. He'd follow this with a third place finish in Malaysian Grand Prix. Alonso would not taste the champagne on the podium for several races, before returning with a third at the European Grand Prix and following Webber home for Renault's first 1-2 finish at the German Grand Prix. Alonso would miss Italy due to the Michelin boycott, before returning to the podium in Brazil with a second place. The Spaniard would go one better in the United States Grand Prix, converting a career-first pole into a win. He'd follow this win up with another in the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix, a race in which Alonso had a long battle with Michael Schumacher.