The meaning of ‘La 33’: How is the number related to Fernando Alonso?

'33' is the number originally selected by Max Verstappen, but as now he wears the '1' on his car, the number has disappeared for a while in the world of Formula 1. Now, more often than not, the number is also associated with Fernando Alonso. GPblog explain the connection between the Spanish driver and the magic number he has found for himself.

What is 'La 33'?

'La 33' (The 33) is at the moment the biggest of goal of Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard is looking to step on the top step of the again for the first time since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix. After Aston Martin started the 2023 season strong, the phrase among Spanish fans began to circulate, hoping that the country’s only F1 world champion can win a race once again has also reached a global audience. It also appears in different sports, as athletes at the top of their game send a message to Alonso with it, including tennis star Carlos Alcaraz.

Since then, it has become a catchphrase for Alonso, the fans and the (Spanish) media. Last summer, Spanish brand Finetwork also made an ad with the two-time world champion. The price advertised was €33, and as Alonso sits on the beach, he asks a woman to repeat the number multiple times.

On social media, where fans began to write and sing original and cover songs for Formula 1 drivers (for example, the song "Super Max!" by the Pitstop Boys), now F1 fans can also come across the lyrics changed of the song called "(It Goes Like) Nanana" to "La 33, hoy va caer por fin la 3, la 33" ("The 33, today it is going to happen finally, the 3, the 33").

At the press conference of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, sitting with Verstappen, Alonso also said jokingly: "I should ask, if he’s [Max] still using Number 1, I will ask for 33 next year! This 33, I don’t know, all these things that are happening now on social media… It was El Plan three years ago, and then The Mission, and now 33," Alonso added back in Melbourne.

When was Alonso to closest to get his 33rd win?

So far, Alonso got the closest to the magic number at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix with Aston Martin, and could have managed to beat Max Verstappen, but his team decided to give him a set of medium tyres just before it began to rain. If Aston Martin would have gone for the intermediates at that point, the gap could have been just enough to jump the Dutchman.

What is 'El Plan'?

'El Plan' (The Plan) was introduced back when Alonso was driving for Alpine after he decided to make a return after his retirement. The phrase even featured on the back of the rear wing during some Grands Prix, but since then, chasing win 33 has become more relevant. ‘El Plan’ stood for the constant work of doing better each day to return to the top, after the Spanish driver returned to Formula 1.