Fernando Alonso has recognized today on the eve of the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix that that 2003 victory changed his life, and that of many people around him, in an appearance that has also served as a summary of various aspects of his life.
“I remember it was a magical moment in my life and my career, and something that changed everything.. Also I thought he was going to do a top 5 at best and winning was a big surprise”, he said during the official press conference about his first of 32 F1 victories.
In 2007 they also penalized me here with Lewis, instead of pole position I started 10th and then lost the World Championship by one point, incredible
Hungarian GP preview
“I changed many things in my life, in Spain, I also lost my privacy 20 years ago… the first victory is big for everyone, and a big change for me too,” he recalls, even if it didn’t change anything.
“It’s a complicated issue because you’re trying to fulfill your dream, the one you’ve had since karting, driving the best cars, getting to where I am now, but you never put in the balance the sacrifices you make, the changes that your family and your life eventually make when you get to F1so I guess it wouldn’t change anything because it’s your choice but things are a little more difficult than what I know on TV, that 20 or 30 years of your life have changed.”
I would not change any decision nor do I regret anything, nobody has a crystal ball to know the benefits that a team will have
The relationship he maintains with Hungary is special, “surely because something else unites me, like with Brazil because it’s where I won the title, the relationship is special with the race, the city, and Budapest is one of my favorites”, and he takes the opportunity to remember two in particular “In 2006 I remember the comeback and that I could have won if it hadn’t been for that breakdown when I was leader, but I started far behind and it was good. And then in 2007 there was the sanction with Hamilton, where I had pole position and I had to start tenth… and then I lost the World Cup by one point, which was unbelievable, so it’s unbelievable that I only have one win here, although I always have a good time,” he said, sending several messages.
After two decades and looking back, would anything change? “I would not change any decision nor do I regret anything, nobody has a crystal ball to know the benefits that a team will have,” he started in a message loaded with depth against the usual mantra that he chose his teams badly.
Everyone said that going to Aston Martin was the worst, and it is still the best jump. This demonstrates the difficulty of choosing a team with the lack of knowledge that we all have at home.”
“I went to McLaren and fought for the title, then to Ferrari where I don’t think any driver can say no.And that happens in sports. I stopped because I had many things on my mind, to do Dakar, WEC, Indycar, I returned to my Renault home and now at the pace that everyone said was the worst, it is still the best. This demonstrates the difficulty of choosing a team with the lack of knowledge that we all have at home.”
Finally, Fernando has remembered that he remains essentially the same. “When I close the visor I have the same motivation and adrenaline to race, to ride against the best. All of that is the same as 20 years ago, only now I have more off-road experience, the way of dealing with the engineers, preparing the strategy, the knowledge of the tyres, the stress level is different, knowing what I already know and that few things surprise me in the race… but the DNA, I insist, is the same”, close.
