Fernando Alonso told he’s done something ‘no driver will be able to do’ in F1 again

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Esteban Ocon learned ‘a lot’ from Fernando Alonso while teammates for Alpine. But he doubts Formula 1 will ever see a driver repeat something the Spaniard has done again.

The pair shared the Enstone natives’ garage across the 2021 and 2022 seasons after Alpine brought Alonso back to Formula 1. Ocon was already at the team having signed with them in 2020 whilst still operating as Renault. But this year is the Frenchman’s last term at the outfit.

Alonso quit Alpine to replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin in 2023 and signed a contract extension to stay in Silverstone through at least 2026 this April. Ocon, meanwhile, agreed to join Haas on a multi-year contract this July after Alpine decided against extending his terms.

Esteban Ocon doubts any F1 driver will ever match Fernando Alonso’s longevity

Ocon has so far scored the only win Alpine have recorded since Groupe Renault renamed its Formula 1 team in 2021, having won that year’s Hungarian Grand Prix. It is also the only win that the 28-year-old has so far scored in the pinnacle of motorsport through 151 Grand Prix.

Alonso only took one podium with Alpine but enjoyed the best days of his career in Enstone whilst Renault back in the 2000s. The 43-year-old won the 2005 and 2006 drivers’ titles at the team. Alonso also helped Renault take the 2005 and 2006 constructors’ championships.

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It was also with Renault that Alonso secured 17 of his 32 career Grand Prix wins, 16 of his 22 pole positions and 41 of his 106 podiums. But it is Alonso’s longevity that Ocon doubts an F1 driver will ever replicate, with the 2024 United States Grand Prix his 399th Grand Prix entry.

“It’s been his life and he just enjoys racing all the time,” Ocon said during the pre-race press conference. “He has nothing to prove to anyone. He’s one of the best in history. He’s won in almost every category he’s competed in and I learned a lot when I competed alongside him.

“He talked about a lot of things on [and] off the track, how he thinks, how nobody else does, and that’s what I remember most. He had a good understanding of strategy, he knew how to read the race, he knew where he had to go, and that’s while driving, which is not easy at all.

“Will I be able to do as many races? To be fair, I don’t think so. I don’t think any driver will be able to do that many races in the near future because he is still competing and I think he has many more years left in him.”

Fernando Alonso set the record for the most Grand Prix starts at the 2022 Singapore GP

Alonso made his Formula 1 debut with Minardi back in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix. Since finishing his debut race in P12, the Oviedo native has gone on to reach 395 Grand Prix starts ahead of the US Grand Prix. He has 62 points in 18 Grand Prix and three F1 Sprints this term.

The two-time Formula 1 champion has also had two spells out of the pinnacle of motorsport since his debut. Alonso did not race in 2002 as he became a test driver for Renault in a move designed to prepare the Spaniard to race for the Enstone outfit from the 2003 F1 campaign.

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He also sat out the 2019 and 2020 seasons after four years at McLaren which largely proved frustrating for Alonso thanks to three years of problems with the Honda power unit. But his time with Alpine saw Alonso surpass Kimi Raikkonen for the most Grand Prix starts to date.

Alonso starting the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix saw the Spaniard surpass Raikkonen and set a new record on his 350th start. Lewis Hamilton moved into second place for the most starts on his 350th at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, when the 39-year-old finished in sixth place.