Fernando Alonso in Monza paddock @RacePictures

Would Alonso have made different decisions in his F1 career if he could go back?

09:19, 14 Sep

Updated: 10:55, 14 Sep

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byTobia Elia

Fernando Alonso addressed the topic of regrets and whether he would change anything in his long Formula 1 career.

Alonso walking in Monza paddock @RacePictures

"If I changed something, I would not be who I am now''

- Fernando Alonso

"It's a very narrow line between greatness and big disappointments," Alonso said in his latest video with Aston Martin’s Principal Partner, Maaden.

"In 2010, we were very close to winning the championship in Abu Dhabi, but we didn't manage it. It's one of those moments you would love to go back 24 hours in time and do things differently. It's a big opportunity to win a championship and then you lose it in an hour and a half."

"In the moment, you think it's the end of the world, but the sun comes and it's a new day. It's difficult to understand why it happened, but with time, with days, with weeks or with months, you will understand that it had to happen to find yourself in a new situation."

The Spaniard then admitted that he has no regrets in his career, and that every experience has helped him become the person and driver he is today, also thanks to competing in other categories such as WEC, Dayona and IndyCar, or at the Dakar Rally.

"All those challenges made me grow as a driver but also as a person. I went out of my comfort zone. I had to learn from the best how to drive those cars. It was very different from a Formula One car.''

"If I changed something, I would not be who I am now. If you had a crystal ball and you go back in time and do things differently, in Formula One it's easy to chose different teams.''

''Maybe you'll win more championships or you are in a different position. But I am happy. I think all the decisions I made, all the mistakes and good things, had to happen. They were there for a reason."

Alonso, a life dedicated to racing

Debuting in F1 in 2001, the Spanish champion got his first real career opportunity with Renault, thanks to the team then led by Flavio Briatore. Alonso was effectively the driver who ended the Ferrari-Schumacher dominance, winning his first career title in 2005 and repeating the success in 2006, helped by the German’s engine failure in Suzuka.

He then had another major opportunity with McLaren in 2007 alongside Lewis Hamilton, but both ultimately lost the championship to Kimi Räikkönen by a single point, with Alonso leaving the team that year due to internal disputes.

His second stint with Renault did not replicate the success of his two world-title years, but he was then chosen by Ferrari to bring the team back to winning ways after a disappointing 2009 season.

Fernando Alonso at Monza @RacePictures

During his four-year spell at Maranello, Alonso came close to the title on two occasions but lost to Sebastian Vettel in the final race both in 2010 and 2012. After leaving Ferrari and returning to McLaren in 2015, Alonso never won again, opting for the first retirement of his career at the end of 2018.

He returned to Formula 1 in 2021 with Alpine, without much impact, before enjoying a strong season with Aston Martin in 2023, scoring multiple podiums and coming very close to his elusive 33rd victory in Monaco.

In 2026, with Adrian Newey’s arrival, Alonso hopes to finally fulfill his dream of winning a third title at the age of 45.

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