Fernando Alonso’s move to Ferrari in 2010 from Renault was tipped to be just what he needed to add another championship to his incredible career.
The Spaniard was already a two-time champion from his time with Renault before his ill-timed move to McLaren in 2007. After sparking an intense rivalry with Lewis Hamilton, he returned to Enstone for another two seasons, which were ultimately unsuccessful.
Alonso signed with Ferrari in 2010, replacing the outgoing Kimi Raikkonen, and he immediately sought to win the championship. Alonso demanded number one status over Felipe Massa when he arrived in Maranello.
RANKDRIVERWINS1Michael Schumacher722Niki Lauda153Sebastian Vettel144Alberto Ascari13=5Felipe Massa11=5Fernando Alonso117Kimi Raikkonen108Rubens Barrichello99Charles Leclerc8=10Jacky Ickx6=10Gilles Villeneuve6Most wins for Ferrari drivers in F1
He narrowly missed out on a third title in 2010 and 2012 as he came up short to Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull. The 2011 and 2013 seasons were dominated by the German, with Ferrari and Alonso having no answer.
The team were presented with an opportunity to close the gap and take control in F1 as a regulation change introduced V6 hybrid engines. However, the new rules only made things worse for Ferrari.
Photo by Darren Heath/Getty ImagesFernando Alonso knew winning a title with Ferrari was ‘impossible’ when he saw their ‘shocking’ 2014 engine
With Raikkonen back at Ferrari partnering Alonso, the team had all the experience they needed to tackle the 2014 season and the new regulations. However, as Luca Di Montezemolo put it to BBC Sport, Ferrari ‘heavily underestimated’ what was required of the new engines.
When the team went to Jerez for pre-season testing, Alonso and Raikkonen found the car to have no power. They would end up slipping to fourth in the standings in 2014, with the Spaniard grabbing just two podiums.
It was here that, as Di Montezemolo recalled, Alonso knew he could ‘never’ win a championship again if he stayed at Ferrari.
POS.DRIVERTEAMPTS.1Lewis HamiltonMercedes3842Nico RosbergMercedes3173Daniel RicciardoRed Bull Racing Renault2384Valtteri BottasWilliams Mercedes1865Sebastian VettelRed Bull Racing Renault1676Fernando AlonsoFerrari1617Felipe MassaWilliams Mercedes1348Jenson ButtonMcLaren Mercedes1269Nico HulkenbergForce India Mercedes9610Sergio PerezForce India Mercedes592014 Formula 1 drivers’ standings
“He told me: ‘There is no power in the engine,’” said Di Montezemolo. “And the third day was Fernando and he told me exactly the same. And I understood that the season was over because it was impossible to work on the engine, because under the rules it was frozen.
“I think that was the moment Fernando said: ‘If I continue to stay at Ferrari, I will never again win a championship.’ Because it was really a shocking moment.”
Eddie Jordan felt Alonso was a ‘prisoner’ at Ferrari as he could not secure a better move, with Nico Rosberg established at Mercedes, while Daniel Ricciardo was looking strong at Red Bull. He would ultimately return to McLaren for 2015, which failed miserably.
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Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty ImagesFernando Alonso didn’t meet expectations but he remains one of F1’s top talents
The 43-year-old is still waiting for his third title, having had stints with McLaren and Alpine since leaving Ferrari. Now with Aston Martin, he is hoping to have a competitive car under the 2026 F1 regulations.
Alonso was backed to win 10 world championships in his career, but it has not worked out that way. At present, he sits 11th in the standings with just 26 points, having not finished on the podium since 2023.
However, Alonso remains one of the best drivers in F1, evidenced by some strong performances with Aston Martin in 2025. His impressive P5 at the Hungarian GP proves that he can still fight at the front.
But whether Aston Martin can provide him with a championship-winning car is a big question. With his contract expiring in 2026, he likely does not have a lot of time left to become a three-time champion.