Fernando Alonso Historic Win Where Does He Rank Among F1 Oldest Race Winners

If you are into the sports, you may have concerns about Fernando Alonso's Historic Win. He is considered as the most complete and successful driver in the history of the Formula One. He had an illustrious career, full of ups and downs and several championship titles. Alonso has won 2 World Championships in 2005 and 2006, 2 IndyCar Championship in 2017 and 2020. He also won 3 European Championships among other race wins.

On his historic day of 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix (GP), the two-time F1 World Champion Alonso secured his first win over 5 years. This win came after 1,223 days, making it the longest gap between wins of any driver in Formula One History. Gaining this momentous accomplishment makes him the oldest winner to date, since he is now at the age of 41.

After a long absence, Alonso returned to the paddock in 2020 to drive Renault. At the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix he made a mark in the history of Motorsport. As a result, he became the oldest driver to win a F1 Race. This striking feat put him in an elite class of Formula Race drivers, and raises the question - where does he stand among the oldest race winners in the sport?

Modern F1 Drivers

In order to determine the answer to this question, it is necessary to compare win of Alonso to that of other modern Formula One drivers. The second-oldest driver to win a Formula One race in modern times is Kimi Raikkonen. And he won the 2018 United States Grand Prix at the age of 39 years and 327 days.

Raikkonen is followed by Jenson Button, who won the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix. Felipe Massa also deserves a mention, as he won the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix . In 2001, Alonso made a mark and won the Race of Champions Nations with rally driver Jesus Puras.

Legends of F1

Alonso’s victory, however, only necessitates comparing him to the legends of sports to determine his position amongst them. The reigning leader of the pack is Rubens Barrichello, who won the 2004 Chinese Grand Prix at the age of 37 years and 138 days. Next comes Michael Schumacher, who won the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix, followed by Nigel Mansell, who won the 1994 Australian Grand Prix.

Vintage F1

As a final benchmark, it is also worth looking at the oldest drivers to win a Formula One race in any era. The honor here goes to LuigiFagioli, who won the 1951 French Grand Prix. Following him is Nino Farina, who won the 1950 British Grand Prix at the age of 53 years and 22 days.

Fernando Alonso's historic win at this year’s Bahrain Grand Prix was not only momentous for him on an individual level, but it also set a new milestone in the history of F1 and extended his mark amongst the greatest drivers ever. His impressive victory placed him as the second-oldest race winner in the program's history and the greatest active driver to have ever taken a GP victory.

Fernando Alonso's Career Highlights

Fernando Alonso has been racing in Formula with Minardi in 2001 and his career has been full of success. He first achieved the F1 championship title in 2005 and followed it up with a second title in 2006. Throughout his career, the Spaniard was renowned for pushing his cars beyond their limits, often maximizing their performance on the track. This attributed to his two drivers' championships, 26 poles, 32 victories and 97 podium finishes.

However, his successful career in Formula One was not without its issues. After a few difficult seasons in 2007 and 2008, Alonso left the sport in 2009 with the intention of reviving his career, a move that led to his love-hate relationship between F1 and McLaren. With McLaren, Alonso won another two races and two further podiums before he left the team and returned to F1 with Ferrari.

Alonso’s Comeback

After leaving F1 in 2018, the Spanish driver had his sights set on returning to the peak of the sport. He competed in a few different forms of racing such as sportscar racing, but he had his eyes firmly on F1. In 2021, Alonso made his much anticipated return to F1 – with Alpine F1 Team, coming alongside Esteban Ocon – and set a target to race competitively and win again.

The 39-year-old claimed a remarkable tenth-place finish in the season opener at Bahrain GP and followed it up with an even more triumphant victory in the second race. This victory has seen him place himself as the second-oldest racer to win an F1 GP, behind Sir Jack Brabham who won the Dutch GP in 1970 aged 40.

Read Also: F1 Schedule 2023

Alonso's Victory and Rank Amongst F1's Oldest Race Winners

This latest victory for Fernando Alonso marks the first for the Spaniard in over five years. Upon earning this distinction, Alonso immediately became the second-oldest winner in F1's history. His win also ties him for the fourth most victories ever with Sebastien Vettel, trailing just behind Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Alain Prost. 

The remarkable comeback of the Spaniard has catapulted him to the top of the charts in terms of F1’s oldest race winners. As previously mentioned, he now stands as the second-oldest race winner behind Sir Jack Brabham. Interestingly, this victory also helped Alonso secure the record for the longest gap between wins, as the two-time champion secured the first in 1,223 days since his last win at the Spanish GP in 2013.

Fernando Alonso’s historic win at the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix has catapulted him into the elite group of F1’s oldest race winners. He is currently the second-oldest Formula One driver to win a race in modern times, behind only Kimi Raikkonen, and the seventh-oldest of all time. His performance was a reminder that there is no age barrier in the sport, and that talent can transcend the years.

Not only did it demonstrate the Spaniard's commitment and determination to come back and compete with the likes of younger generations. But it also showed that he is still one of the legends of the sport.  His miraculous return to the top of the podium is likely to send ripples throughout Formula One for years to come. And inspire future generations of racers to persist in their attempts to emulate the great Fernando Alonso.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Fernando Alonso rank among F1's Oldest Race Winners?

Fernando Alonso marks the first for the Spaniard in over five years. Upon earning this distinction, Alonso immediately became the second-oldest winner in F1's history. He is also a oldest active driver ever to win a GP.

How many championship titles Fernando Alonso won?

Fernando Alonso has won several championship titles including 2 World Championships in 2005 and 2006. He also won 2 IndyCar Championship in 2017 and 2020. Apart from that he won 3 European Championships. With Renault, he has also won the series of World Driver’s Championship.