This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Please update your
Video
See how Alonso went from Minardi hopeful to double world champion in Rise of the Rookie
When Fernando Alonso returns to Formula 1 next season, he will do so as one of the most experienced and successful drivers on the grid, with over 300 race starts and more than 30 wins under his belt.
In his long F1 career he has driven for the biggest teams in the sport, including McLaren, Ferrari, and of course Renault, where he will have a third spell beginning next year.
But it all started for the Spaniard way back in 2001 when, as a 19-year-old, he made his F1 debut for the Minardi team. Then, after a year as test driver for Renault, he finally made the step up to a race seat with them in 2003, and was instantly on the pace, grabbing his first podium in just his third race for the team. Alonso had arrived as the coming force in the sport and his next targets were race wins and championships, which duly followed.
Hit play in the Aramco Presents: Rise of the Rookie video above to watch Alonso's journey from Minardi hopeful to double world champion, and all the highs and lows of his F1 career, which, as of next year, will have another chapter added to it...
READ MORE: 'I score 9 in everything' – Alonso believes he's one of F1's most complete drivers
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
News F1 and Topps announce exclusive long-term renewal
FeatureF1 Unlocked THIS WEEK IN F1: 10 quiz questions on all the F1 news after the Australian Grand Prix
Podcast BEYOND THE GRID: Pat Symonds on working with Senna and Schumacher, achieving title glory and F1’s exciting future
FeatureF1 Unlocked THE STRATEGIST: Norris reckons he could have beaten Leclerc in Melbourne with a better strategy – but is he right?