De la Rosa: “It would be a dream to see Alonso champion again, he deserves it.”
Alonso is back in the spotlight. It’s true that his skill level, whether in Formula 1 or other disciplines he has participated in, has always been exceptional, but his strong start to the year with Aston Martin and two consecutive podiums have triggered a new wave of Alonsomania. The Asturian driver is on everyone’s lips, but only a few people truly know him, and one of them is Pedro de la Rosa, who is working alongside him again as a team ambassador. De la Rosa asserts that “people don’t know who the real Fernando is.”
“They see him as extremely committed and focused, but what they don’t see is how down-to-earth he is. He has a great sense of humor and doesn’t take himself too seriously; that’s one of his strengths. He doesn’t feel pressure,” de la Rosa explains on the team’s website. He further illustrates the two-time champion’s confidence: “When other drivers are nervous about what’s to come, Fernando isn’t. Before he’s about to race, he’s laughing and joking. He stays relaxed, and that’s partly why he can still compete at such a high level.”
“His natural talent is insane,” Pedro continues, stating that “it doesn’t matter the tire conditions, the type of car, the nature of the track… he will quickly be at the limit.” He also highlights Alonso’s tenacity: “There are many champions who lose their edge when they no longer have a competitive car. Fernando is not like that. He has maintained his level and his motivation. Having achieved so many podiums and still having the same hunger he had when he started, despite not having a competitive car for so many years, is something I admire about him.”
For all these reasons, the friendship that binds them, and more, de la Rosa says “it would be a dream come true to see Fernando crowned champion again.” “He deserves it. Whatever you do, if you give your best, sooner or later you will be rewarded, and Fernando has been giving his best for decades. When you consider the journey he has been on, everything he has done, and everything he has been through, winning the World Championship would be a fitting end to an outstanding F1 career,” assures the 52-year-old Catalan, who is also a commentator on DAZN F1.
De la Rosa’s relationship with Alonso began many years ago, from the Asturian’s early steps in F1, and Pedro quickly recognized the talent that was to come. He pinpoints a specific date: “Barcelona, 2001, Spanish GP, that’s when I realized he was different from the rest. I was at Jaguar, he was at Minardi. We fought in the opening laps. His car had no grip at all, it was undriveable, he was on the razor’s edge. The way he balanced the car through the corners, I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this guy is really good.'”
That was a sign of Alonso’s ability, and then de la Rosa experienced it first-hand when Alonso tested with Jaguar the following year. “I knew he was going to be fast right away. He was very fast on a drying track. When he came back to the pits, the tires were destroyed, but he was still incredibly fast. It even took me some time to match his times, and it was his first time in the car. His feedback was also spot on. Everything we had said needed improvement on the car, he identified in just a few laps,” Pedro recalls.