As Fernando Alonso retires from F1. Let me share this brief story about his supreme talent behind the wheel.
It was the summer of 2011 and I travelled to Maranello(the home of Ferrari) for a day of filming with Fernando where he would drive me around the Fiorano test track...
It was the summer of 2011 and I travelled to Maranello(the home of Ferrari) for a day of filming with Fernando where he would drive me around the Fiorano test track...
We arrived mid-morning, and the film crew set about fixing the go-pro cameras to the inside of a 458 Italia(I think) that he would drive me in. I was directed into the former house of the great Enzo Ferrari’s that sits right beside the track...
His office is still there, unchanged from the time Enzo ran the famous old team. I went upstairs to a kind of boardroom, where the walls were adorned with pictures of team bosses, high-powered meetings, different Ferrari’s...an amazing collection of photos. Suddenly...
“Amazing ah?” Said a voice behind me. It was Fernando. He had literally stepped straight off the massage table. All he was wearing was a towel, and a grin, and we proceeded to chat about the pictures and his life at Ferrari.
I loved these snatched moments away from the track, without the pressure of the races, without cameras, when the guys were off-duty. A short while later, after a long pasta lunch...it was time to get into the road car and film...
As you would expect, his car control was breathtaking...he knew the car and the circuit like the back of his hand. By then he would have driven thousands of laps. Mind you, it’s still impossible not to feel slightly petrified when barrelling into a corner at full pelt...
At this point I made the grave mistake of grabbing the seat of the car for extra support. It was purely instinct, however, Fernando isn’t the kind of guy to not notice, or let it pass without comment...
“What are you doing!? You don’t feel safe with me” he shouted...whilst still keeping his foot planted, the back stepping out, the tyres squeeling. I tried my best to explain that of course I did, it was an immense pleasure to see his God given talent so close.
My protest that it was only a passengers instinctive reaction fell on deaf ears. He said “this is how safe you are”...and the drove the next set of corners at full-pelt, max attack...WITH HIS EYES SHUT!!!!!
Yep - he drive a complex circuit, in a super car. With his eyes shut.
Yep - he drive a complex circuit, in a super car. With his eyes shut.
That is how talented he was, that is how in control he was, that is how prepared he was, that is how well he knew the track, that is how confident he was...and he drove it perfectly. Now, im not recommending you try it at home...but it’s a raw example that these guys are
on a different planet. He opened his eyes a few seconds later, he laughed, I laughed...and he went on his way, being a global superstar, and I went home to Norwich. He probably can’t recall it, but I’ve never forgotten it.
We were lucky to watch F1 in an era where Fernando was behind the wheel. A supreme competitor, a complex character, a demanding driver, but a brilliant champion. Fernando - all the best with the next chapter 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
