Double world champion Fernando Alonso is a driver that is considered one of the best, if not the very best, of the current generation of Formula 1 drivers and in in the process has become the elder statesman of the sport, one of the most respected figures. We present the first installment of a three part interview with the Ferrari driver.
When you think about your job and your role what is the first adjective that springs to mind?
Fernando Alonso: Fighter. Because it is part of my character, part of my DNA to fight all the time. To think you’ve always got a chance. When things go well I like to try and do more, when things go badly I try to fix it. That’s not just in Formula 1 but also in every day life, there is always a fight.
Is there one person in particular you need to thank for where you are today?
FA: There are many people that help you to get where you are when you are a Formula 1 driver. Through it all one person has always been there for me and that’s my father [Jose Luis]. He’s been there right from the start, from the karting and then all through my single seater career. Even now, even if he’s not physically present at all the races, or at the days when I’m working or not working, he’s always there. I can lean on him, whatever has happened to me during the day, be it in my work or something personal. I call him and he always has a point of view – 99.9% of the time he’s right, which is why I listen very carefully to what he says.