By role
August 26 2003

Fernando Alonso showed yesterday the few sceptics left on the paddcok that he wil be a big part of the future of Formual 1. Few in the paddock had any doubts that Alonso would win one day a Formula 1 race. After being the younger driver to get a podium, and scoring three podiums on his first season in a competitive team in Formula 1, most of the experts knew that as soon as Renault could get more revs out of their engine Renault and Alonso were going to be challenging for wins.

However, progress in Formula 1 is always slow and nobody, not even some Renault insiders, believed that they could win a race this season. Some experts even doubted that Renault could taste the Champagne until the 2005 season taking under consideration that the team is going to a return to a 72º engine next season.

However, there were a couple of people in Renault that thought that Alonso could win in Hungary. One of them was the outspoken Mike Gascoyne. The British Technical Director had already declared at the start of the season that Renault could win this season and that the tracks that could better suit the R23 would be Monaco, Hungaroring and Suzuka.

Monaco came and went but Renault struggled getting enough heat on the tyres to challenge for nothing more than points on the Principality.

The other top teams kept making imporvements and Renault saw how his chances of podiums were slimer than ever before. However, the team continued to fight to make engine improvements and chassis changes in order to get that impossible goal fo a Grand Prix win.

After a revised chassis and severel engines improvements the team decided to name the car the R23B.

Last week, Fernando Alonso, aged 22, said good bye to his number one fan. As she was about to kiss good-bye to his granmother he wishpered on her ear: “I am going to win grandma!” He had a dream, he had marked the 24th of August on his calendar and he knew that the Hungaroring was one of his favourite tracks together with Spa and Suzuka.

Three years earlier he had scored his first podium in Formula 3000 at Hungaroring and he always had a special feeling on the track.

The weekend start was fine for him as he led all drivers on the initial testing session ahead of his teammates. However, some probles on the practice session meant that he could only race 4 laps on such an important session.

When he went into qualifying 1 on Friday afternoon he found a total different track and he was not willing to push the limits of the car. He was happy with setting a competitive 8th best time and congratulate his teammate Trulli who had gotten the pole ahead of the rest warning all about the potential of the Renault package.

Saturday was a different story. Alonso started with great pace and was able to set the fastest time on the first session of practice. Then, sattisfied with the speed of his car, he was able to concentrate on long stints to measure the performance of the tyres. He did not improve his time what meant that he finished away from the top positions. Suddenly Renault did not seem to be a threat anymore.

However, on the final qualifying, Alonso was able to show why so many people believe him to be the next best thing. In a greeat flying lap the Spaniard was able to show that he still had the edge and set his second pole of his life. It has been 5 months since the last one in Malaysia but the Spaniard appreciated much the second one because now all teams had their act together.

He did not dedicate the pole to his number one fan, the lady that he had kissed goodbye and wishpered that he was going to win at Budapest. He dedicated the pole to his fan base at Asturias that knew they had enjoyed the pole as much as him.

And he did not dedicate the pole to his grandmother because he expeted to win the race. To become the younger driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

After a great race Alonso slowed down on the last turns of the last lap and pointed his finger up signalling a satisfying number one. The win was instantly dedicated to his grandmother.

Suddenly the effort of 19 years saw one of their main goals achieved. The ultimate goal is to win a WDC and become part of the history of this great sport.

Alonso, then aged 3, took on a kart his father had built for his older sister Lorena. As she quickly lost interest in the new toy, Fernando jumped in and with some adjustment was able to start running. 19 years later Alonso slowed down as he crossed the line. After he had led for most of the Hungarian GP, after he had lapped deffending Champion Michael Schumacher, after he had lapped his best friend on the drivers grid, his teammate Jarno Trulli, a driver he respects in and out of the track.

Alonso started to write its Formula 1 story 2 years ago on a Minardi. The story is still on the first chapters and there are many still to come. We are sure many of those chapters will also be a part of the Formula 1 history in the future.