SportF1Alonso's first victory in F1: Hungary 2003, where it...

Alonso's first victory in F1: Hungary 2003, where it all began

Spain has accumulated 33 victories in Formula 1, all achieved by Fernando Alonso , except for one achieved by Carlos Sainz in the 2022 British GP. And among them, Pedro Martínez de la Rosa and Alfonso de Portago (whose ‘feat’ we remember here) , have added 112 podiums in the highest category. However, just as the 1956 British Grand Prix is remembered, which was the first race in which a Spaniard finished in the top three, the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix will never be forgotten.

Spain had won the European Football and Basketball Cups, a distant European Championship; titles in all motorcycling categories; various competitions in handball; silver in basketball at Los Angeles 84 (in addition to gold and other metals in many other disciplines at the Olympic Games); World Rally Championships; Tour de France, La Vuelta, Giro d’Italia, world championship and Olympic gold in cycling; Davis Cup, Roland Garros and Wimbledon in tennis and many other sporting successes. But never a Formula 1 race , let alone a championship.

After his debut season with Minardi and a year as a tester for Renault, Alonso was once again a Formula 1 starter in 2003. And although he took part in a race in that world championship, Marc Gené had lost his seat as the first driver after the season. 2000, while Pedro de la Rosa, who would return in 2005, was a McLaren tester that year. A 22-year-old named Fernando Alonso , with Renault, was the only Spanish representative, and already in the second Grand Prix, in Malaysia, he would achieve a historic event: the first pole position for our country.

In addition to the podium that he would achieve in that test, he added another two more in the first five races, but little by little Williams and McLaren positioned themselves as the main companions of Ferrari in the trophy ceremony. The season went by and at the end of August the Hungarian Grand Prix arrived, the 13th round of a championship that had 16. In a circuit less demanding on power and more on aerodynamics and the pilot’s hands, Alonso would add his second pole position , and on Sunday, starting from the first place on the grid, he was the favorite to win.

Dominating from start to finish (he led all the laps except the one where he entered to make his first stop), the Renault driver saw the checkered flag first, making history in our country and in Formula 1, by becoming the youngest to win a race.

The first World Cup would come two years later, and in addition to being a two-time champion, after that summer Sunday he achieved 31 more victories. There have been many different ways, with three teams, in various circumstances and with various flavors. But there is never another like the first time .

The best images of the 2003 Hungarian GP

Race winner Fernando Alonso celebrates with Flavio Briatore

Ganador de la carrera Fernando Alonso celebra con Flavio Briatore

1 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Race winner Fernando Alonso celebrates

Ganador de la carrera Fernando Alonso celebra

2 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Winner Fernando Alonso celebrates

El ganador Fernando Alonso celebra

3 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Start: Fernando Alonso leads the group

Iniico: Fernando Alonso lidera el grupo

4 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Press conference: race winner Fernando Alonso

Conferencia de prensa: ganador de la carrera Fernando Alonso

5 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Podium: race winner Fernando Alonso

Podio: ganador de la carrera Fernando Alonso

6 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Start: Fernando Alonso takes the lead

Inicio: Fernando Alonso toma la delantera

7 / 29

Photo by: Ferrari Media Center

Winner Fernando Alonso celebrates

El ganador Fernando Alonso celebra

8 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Podium: champagne for Fernando Alonso

Podio: champagne para Fernando Alonso

9 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Podium: winner Fernando Alonso, second place Kimi Raikkonen and third place Juan Pablo Montoya

Podio: ganador Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen el segundo lugar y tercer lugar Juan Pablo Montoya

10 / 29

Photo by: DaimlerChrysler

Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso ready

Jarno Trulli y Fernando Alonso listos

11 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Podium: champagne for Fernando Alonso

Podio: champán para Fernando Alonso

12 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Podium: Fernando Alonso race winner with Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya

Podio: ganador de la carrera de Fernando Alonso con Kimi Raikkonen y Juan Pablo Montoya

13 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso celebrates winning with members of the Renault F1 team

Fernando Alonso celebra ganar con los miembros del equipo Renault F1

14 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso, Flavio Briatore and Renault F1 team members celebrate

Fernando Alonso, Flavio Briatore and Renault F1 team members celebrate

15/29

Foto de: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso on the starting grid

Fernando Alonso en la parrilla de salida

16 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Press conference: Fernando Alonso race winner with Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya

Conferencia de prensa: ganador de la carrera de Fernando Alonso con Kimi Raikkonen y Juan Pablo Montoya

17 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Podium: winner Fernando Alonso

Podio: el ganador Fernando Alonso

18 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Winner Fernando Alonso celebrates

El ganador Fernando Alonso celebra

19 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Winner Fernando Alonso celebrates

El ganador Fernando Alonso celebra

20 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

The winner Fernando Alonso celebrates with Flavio Briatore

El ganador Fernando Alonso celebra con Flavio Briatore

21 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

The winner Fernando Alonso celebrates with Flavio Briatore

El ganador Fernando Alonso celebra con Flavio Briatore

22 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

The winner Fernando Alonso celebrates his victory

El ganador Fernando Alonso celebra su victoria

23 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Flavio Briatore and Fernando Alonso celebrate pole position

Flavio Briatore y Fernando Alonso celebran la pole position

24 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso

25 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso

26 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso

27 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso

28 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso

29 / 29

Photo by: LAT Images

Since that Hungarian Grand Prix, in addition to standing out in other sports, Fernando Alonso put the name of Spain among the winners in the highest category of motorsport. He didn’t win there again, but going back to Budapest and arriving at the end of August always brings back that first victory. Hungaroring, ‘Holy Land’ for Spanish motorsports. It all started with you.

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