'You could feel an explosion' – How Alonso turned Spain into a motorsport mad nation as told by his fans

Formula 1 is a mainstay in Spain, with two Grands Prix on this year's calendar, two drivers in the current paddock and vast amounts of fans in the country. But that wasn't always the case, as racing took a back seat to other sports – up until the arrival of Fernando Alonso.

The charismatic and breathtakingly fast Spaniard captivated a nation with his iconic celebrations, passionate opinions and spellbinding success – and the not-so-small matter of two F1 World Championship wins in 2005 and 2006.

To find out just what Alonso means to Spain, and how he turned the nation motorsport mad, we spoke to a number of Spanish F1 journalists and content creators – many of them proud members of a generation who grew up watching him race – about why he was the reason they fell in love with the sport in the first place.

'You could feel an explosion'

Before Alonso arrived on the scene, F1 wasn’t really on Spain’s sporting radar – football, basketball and tennis have historically reigned supreme.

“F1 was a very niche sport,” recalls motorsport YouTuber Ekaitz Gil looking back on that time. “It wasn't something that attracted mainstream attention, but everything changed when Fernando arrived. Formula 1 suddenly became part of everyday conversation in Spain – there was a period where it was almost as much as football!”

That sentiment is echoed by Spanish former F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa, now a Team Ambassador for Aston Martin. "There'd not been a Spanish F1 driver for around 10 years when I got onto the grid, so interest at home had ebbed," he told the Aston Martin website.

"Myself and Marc Gene made it in 1999, which created some interest, and then when Fernando arrived he just blew everyone away. When he started doing well, you could feel an explosion. Suddenly people were not only interested in F1, they were crazy for it. They became fanáticos.

"I think myself and Marc played a role in attracting attention, but it was Fernando who took it to a new level. He was the first very successful Spanish F1 driver."

It was a motorsport revolution in Spain when Alonso arrived with the “Marea Azul” – fans who followed Alonso from race to race – dressed in the blue and yellow of the Asturian flag and the colours of Renault, becoming one of the sport’s largest fan bases. Suddenly, F1 was a part of day-to-day conversation.

“There was a period when it was discussed in Spain almost as much as football,” says Gil, as Sunday lunchtimes quickly became reserved for racing for many fans.

F1 Fashion & Lifestyle contributor Alba Carballal also remembers watching with her dad during Alonso’s Renault years: “We religiously followed him – it was a ritual," she says. "He brought so many girls into the sport too, and I was one of them.”

For Julia Gomez Calvo – a motorsport digital creator – she could also feel the magnitude of the moment even as a child.

“There was such a buzz everywhere," she remembers. "Everyone seemed to be talking about Alonso. Even as a kid, I could feel how big of a moment it was and how much he meant to so many people."

Memorable moments

For a generation of Spanish motorsport fans, Alonso’s World Championship victories are a collection of vivid personal memories rather than a combination of very successful race results from two decades ago.

Gil, for example, recalls a heartwarming memory of his first time witnessing the greatness of El Nano at his home race. "I have a photo from that day with my mother, who had introduced me to F1," he explains. "In the picture, I have my face painted and 'Alonso' written across my forehead. Looking back at it now brings back a lot of emotion and nostalgia."

Digital creator Javi Carrero’s earliest racing memory is from the famous Japanese Grand Prix in 2005. “That comeback, with that overtake on Michael Schumacher, is something that would stay etched in anyone's memory," he says.

"But one of the things that always struck me most was the huge blue tide at the Spanish Grand Prix in those years. As a kid, I needed to feel part of that."

Drawing fans into a sport isn't just about being successful. Alonso's ability to express himself through his driving style made him impossible to ignore on race day – his fearless overtakes have become legend.

For example, Motorsport journalist Jorge Peiro fondly recalls his incredible comeback performance in Valencia 2012 – a race that Alonso himself believed was his most impressive as he charged through the field after starting 11th to take victory.

“What happened in 2012 still leaves me speechless," Peiro says. "It still gives me goosebumps when I rewatch that race.”

For sports journalist Itziar Blazquez, it was one of the Spaniard's finest-ever overtakes during the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix that left her astounded.“On the inside!" she remembers "Of Turn 10! To Hamilton! I still get chills every time I watch it.”

Alonso is still reminding his fans exactly why he's so popular, with his modern Monaco masterclass in 2023, where he finished second, proving without doubt that he still belonged on the podium after all these years.

“That 'non-victory' means many things," says Carerro. "Above all, he will never stop giving us his best whenever he is given the chance.”

Off-track entertainer

Of course, while Alonso's on-track exploits are famed, he also has a catalogue of unforgettable off-track moments, with Carballal pointing to his fiery team radios and celebration dances as “just unforgettable”.

For Gomez Calmo, it was his meme-able moments – such as the sunbathing at Interlagos and the flower-sniffing in the media pen – that really makes Alonso “such a character.”

Over the past few seasons, Alonso's followers have enjoyed him leaning into social media more with Gil believing it makes him that much more endearing to fans.

“He became part of countless memes and viral moments, and it felt like fans were seeing another side of him, making him even more relatable,” he says.

His unwavering support

Over the years at Barcelona, the devotion from Spanish fans takes on a whole new dimension. Blazquez describes the atmosphere being “electric from Thursday to Sunday" and you will hear 'Oh, Fernando Alonso!' ringing out "whether he he qualifies on pole or starts from the back of the grid."

Gomez Calvo describes the feeling of the whole circuit transforming with his presence. “The Alonsismo is on another level," she explains. "It feels like the entire track is cheering for him. The support is just massive.”

This year, an entire section has been dedicated to him, named ‘Alonso Land’ – so expect to see a sea of Aston Martin green, Spanish and Asturian flags filling Grandstand N.

Unlike many domestic fans of British or Italian teams, Spanish supporters have never had a constructor to rally behind – Alonso has long been the team, the flag, and the focal point of their affection and devotion.

“Barcelona has always been that one moment in the calendar where we get to give Fernando our love back in person, all of us together,” says Carballal.

For Carrero, the feeling at Barcelona is unlike any other: “I have never seen anything comparable to the Spanish fans' support for Fernando Alonso at a single event. It is beautiful and incredibly moving.”

That support is never taken for granted by the man himself. Speaking before this weekend’s event, Alonso reiterated just what it means to feel the love around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

“I feel a big responsibility having a whole country following me almost more than the sport itself and knowing people are perhaps relying on my results to have a good afternoon," he explained. "I have a lot of memories of the thousands of people supporting me over the years. It really does mean everything.”

The legacy of El Nano

The question of Alonso’s legacy is one the fans approached carefully in their discussion. Blazquez sees it as a double-edged sword for the drivers who follow suit – it's a blueprint for what success can look like, but also an almost impossibly high bar.

Gomez Calvo looks beyond the results entirely. “He showed an entire generation that motorsport could be a real career path," she says. "Whether that’s as a driver or in any other role within the industry.”

For Peiro, the ambition from up-and-coming Spanish drivers is already clear: “Everyone wants to follow his steps and be the new Fernando Alonso.”

You don’t need to look much further than Formula 2 to see Alonso’s legacy imagined already. Spaniard Mari Boya, who currently competes in Formula 2, is the perfect embodiment of Alonso’s impact and credited the 44-year-old's influence in an interview with his Aston Martin team.

“My family were really huge fans of Fernando and so I got into motorsport like that," he said. "There was huge passion for Fernando and when you see your family supporting like that, you quickly feel the same.

"Sunday was the best day of the week, with F1 always on the TV and everyone watching it together. You fall in love with the sport.”

Even Williams’ Carlos Sainz has spoken about how much of an inspiration the Aston Martin veteran has been. There is a famous image from the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix of a young Sainz in the paddock, watching Alonso’s successes unfold.

For Carrero, Alonso’s legacy has already been in full effect for a number of years: “There is not a single person in Spain who works in anything related to Formula 1 who is not a Fernando Alonso fan.

"In one way or another, we all do this because of him. In my opinion, that is the greatest legacy anyone can aspire to leave.”

Alongside the likes of Rafael Nadal and Pau Gasol, Alonso places in that rare category of Spanish sporting royalty who transcend their sport, and Barcelona is always a reminder of that legacy.