BEYOND THE GRID: Alonso on reaching 400 Grands Prix, his passion for F1 and why he's still fired up

Fernando Alonso will become the first driver in Formula 1 history to compete in 400 Grands Prix when he races in Mexico this weekend.

It’s a monumental milestone that even Alonso didn’t think he’d reach. On this special episode of Beyond The Grid – brought to you by Salesforce, a Global Partner of Formula 1 – you can hear why the two-time World Champion thought he’d leave F1 at the end of 2009 and how changes in his relationship with the sport have prolonged his career.

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Speaking to host Tom Clarkson, Alonso reflects on the most poignant moments from an eventful 21 seasons on the grid – revealing fascinating details about his secret meetings with Red Bull, whether he regrets turning them down for Ferrari, the one race he tried to win the most and why he needed reassurance during his comeback in 2021.

There's also plenty of talk on what is still to come in Alonso's F1 career with much expected of his current Aston Martin team in the future, which he says is a "very happy place" for him.

The Spaniard also tells the podcast about the impact Adrian Newey will have on Aston Martin and how the legendary designer’s arrival at the team affects his own future.

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To listen to this week’s episode of Beyond The Grid, simply hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen via your preferred podcasting platform.