h20 seasons have passed since the most successful history of Spanish motorsports began. At the Hungarian Ring, Fernando Alonso achieved his first victory as an F1 driver and, to that date, the only one in our country. At that time, the youngest driver to win a race in the ‘Great Circus’. The Asturian dominated all the laps, except the one in which he made the stop. “It’s a special place for me, it brings back wonderful memories,” recalls Fernando, who was crowned ‘king of the wind’ for the first time on the Hungarian track.
The relationship between the Hungaroring and the Asturian strengthened over the seasons… And that he never climbed to the top of the podium again. Fernando has finished in the points in 17 of the 21 editions he has played (three withdrawals). In addition, the two-time world champion has improved his starting position in all his participations, except in 2005 and 2022. The average position obtained by the Asturian in the race in Hungary… It’s fourth! With the merit that comes with doing so with Renault 2008-2009, Ferrari 2014, McLaren 2015-2018 and Alpine 2021-2022. The Magyar country is a dear homeland for Fernando.
Results of Fernando Alonso in the Hungarian GP.
In addition, On 14 he has achieved two pole positions in the Central European country. The first place that gave him the first victory of his career and a second with the 2009 Renault, a car that finished eighth in the constructors’ championship. The Hungaroring is a circuit where power is in the background compared to the skill with the hands in the car of the pilots. Few like Fernando in this field.
Favorite circuit for Alonso and Aston Martin
With the checkered flag of the Silverstone GP, they said goodbye, for the moment, to the circuits with fast curves and the importance of the front axle. Hungary is the first of the tracks where the slow corner and the difficulty in overtaking become more important. For many, the Hungaroring is the closest thing to Monaco turned into a conventional circuit. Of the ten events in the championship, the ’33’ reached its most realistic options in El Principado.
Results of Fernando Alonso in the Hungarian GP.
Throughout the season, Aston Martin has shown its strengths in two types of circuits mainly: layouts with a slow curve or urban-semi-urban. “We take into account the conditions of each track, our strength is the race pace”, warned Tom McCullough, Aston Martin’s director of performance.
I hope that in Hungary we will get on the podium again
Fernando Alonso himself is clear about it, neither before were they a dominant car nor now are they going to stop fighting for podiums or victories. Circumstances change and the AMR23 does not adapt equally to all circuits. In Hungary, hope is rising.“We have saved a quite difficult weekend for us, I hope that in Hungary we will be competitive again”explained Alonso, after the race, before the press in Silverstone.
Aston Martin achieved its ‘first podium’ in Hungary
After its brief stay in Formula 1 in the mid-20th century, Aston Martin returned to the category in the 2021 season. Although the British team currently has seven podium finishes (six for Alonso and one for Vettel), many forget that the teutan climbed to the second drawer of the podium of the 2021 Hungarian GP. The FIA ended up disqualifying him for not finding a liter of fuel after the race, but the pace of that Aston Martin was quite amazing.
Few remember that image, to a large extent, because many only keep in their retina Fernando’s defense of Hamilton. “It has been the most difficult of my career, Lewis was coming 2 – 2.5 seconds faster than me,” said the Spaniard. One more of his displays at the Hungaroring, such as going from last to sixth place in just six laps and lapping Schumacher in just 25 laps. An unfinished work of art due to a badly tightened nut.
Fernando and Aston Martin are aware that at the Hungaroring the chances of returning to the podium increase. “There are too many patterns with what happened in previous seasons on the circuits”, Alonso said when asked about the pace of the AMR23 at Silverstone. The past smiles at the Spanish. Until now, the World Cup is Verstappen territory, although in Hungary the Asturian flag has flown above all for a long time.