Fernando Alonso Díaza two-time World Champion in Formula One racing was born in a humble family on July 29, 1981, in Oviedo, Spain. The first driver to ever win a night race, he is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, is an avid card tricks aficionado. He is supposedly married to the lead singer of Spanish pop band El Sueño de Morfeo, Raquel del Rosario and living currently in Oxford, England owning a house in Mont-sur-Rolle, near the Lake Geneva in Switzerland. He is also one of the directors in the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association.

Background

Financially being weak was not a hindrance to Alonso as his victories pulled in sponsorships and funds his way all with the support of his family. Between 1993 and 1996, he won four championships of Spain, all back to back in the junior category. He also won the Spanish and Italian Inter-A titles (1997) and the Spanish Inter-A title all over again (1998). He finished second in the European Championship.

His Victories

He was the youngest driver to win a F1 pole position in the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix. It was in this year that he suffered a 180mph crash at the Brazilian Grand Prix. He was second at his home grand prix and also became the youngest driver to win a F1 race at the Hungarian Grand Prix. In 2005 he won the award of Sports Prince of Asturias. 2006 was also rewarding as he won the first race in the F1 2006 season, Bahrain. He pitted himself against Michael Schumacher with the result of being the first Spaniard who won his home race in the Spanish Grand prix on 14 May, 2006. His winning streak continued till four races, winning in Britain and Canada. 22 October saw him in second place in the Brazilian Grand Prix, thus winning the championship. In the history of Formula One racing, he became the youngest double champion, no mean feat. On April 8, 2007 he gained his first victory for his new team McLaren, which were also the teams first after 2005. In 2008, he sought claim of his first victory and podium for the season, winning the 2008 Singapore Grand prix. He continued the good form over to the Japanese Grand prix, qualifying fourth. He won again a second time in 2008 and finished ahead of Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen with a two stop strategy. In 2008 he was fifth in position.