Fernando Alonso at F1 legends dinner: “I was the only contemporary driver. Max and Lewis were busy”. Fernando Alonso was part of a gathering of the greatest figures in Formula 1 history.

Dinner with the legends
The event celebrating 75 years of Formula 1 history, organized at the O2 Arena in London to officially kick off the 2025 season, extended beyond the televised gala featuring the unveiling of the teams’ liveries. Fernando Alonso, a veteran of the sport at 43 years old and one of the three active world champions alongside Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, revealed some behind-the-scenes details of the London show.

Alonso attended a dinner with F1 legends held the night before the “main event.” It was a gathering full of prestige, though both Hamilton and Verstappen were notably absent due to other commitments. “I was the only contemporary driver there,” said the Aston Martin driver. “Lewis and Max weren’t there—I think they were busy. But it was really nice.”

Speaking to the media, Alonso shared that he had the chance to reconnect with some old friends and even a few childhood idols. “It was great to see Giancarlo Minardi again, my first team boss. Bernie [Ecclestone], Luca Di Montezemolo—we’ve always had a good friendship. And Mario Andretti was there too, someone I’ve always admired a lot.”

The former Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari driver also shared a fun anecdote from the dinner. “One interesting thing we did was write a sentence or anything we wanted on a piece of paper. Then we placed it inside a box, which was sealed. It will be reopened in 25 years, for Formula 1’s 100th anniversary.”

McLaren CEO Zak Brown also expressed his enthusiasm for the event, having had the chance to take part in a special reunion. The American executive posted a photo on Instagram alongside Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, Mario Andretti, and Nigel Mansell.

“I’m often asked if I ever take a moment to reflect on how lucky I am to be the CEO of McLaren,” Brown wrote. “Honestly, I rarely do because I’m always focused on the present, trying to help our team succeed. But tonight, celebrating 75 years of F1, I had dinner at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant with some of the greatest legends of our sport—four of my five all-time favorite drivers. The only one missing was Ayrton [Senna]. I really wish I’d had the chance to meet him, but this evening gave me an unforgettable moment, reminding me why I love this sport so much.”