Fernando Alonso on bad luck and long drought: “It doesn’t sound good, but everything balances out”. Fernando Alonso reflects on twelve years without a Formula 1 victory.

Fernando Alonso, twelve years without a win: “It doesn’t sound good, but everything balances out”

If a survey were conducted among Formula 1 fans, Fernando Alonso would likely be regarded as one of the unluckiest drivers in recent F1 history. This perception has often led the Spanish driver to reflect on his fortune—or lack thereof—his career choices, and the many highs and lows that have defined his journey. In recent years, the lows have far outweighed the highs, resulting in over ten seasons without a Grand Prix victory. This is undeniably an unfair record for a driver of his caliber, one that does not in any way reflect his talent or speed. Fernando Alonso’s last win, the 32nd of his career, came at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.

Unlucky streak?

Since then, the former Ferrari driver has been chasing his 33rd victory, repeatedly thwarted by seasons dominated by cars incapable of winning: Ferrari in 2014 struggling with engine performance, McLaren suffering from Honda’s disastrous power unit, or the Renault engine in 2018. Alonso even took a brief break from Formula 1, returning in 2021 to replace Daniel Ricciardo at Alpine, only to leave the team due to power unit issues and move to Aston Martin. In 2023, he enjoyed a strong start of the season, matching the Red Bull RB19 on pace and securing multiple podiums—but still no win. This trend led Alonso to jokingly call himself the unluckiest driver in F1, later revising the statement to point out that, across 418 Grands Prix, his career has balanced highs and lows. However, as far as the current season goes, the scales are tipping toward bad luck, according to Alonso himself.

Alonso speaks

“Luck, bad luck, I think it’s fifty-fifty. When you compete in over 400 races, there are both fortunate and unfortunate events. Everything evens out. Even when I went to Le Mans for the second time, we were two minutes behind the leader. Then they had a puncture, a wheel was not properly mounted, and they had to do a double pit stop. And I won the second Le Mans. That was a huge stroke of luck. Everything balances out. I think it’s been more than ten years since I won my last Grand Prix. It doesn’t feel fair. This year alone, I’ve already lost 22 points. It’s a shame not to finish races in the points. When the car is slow, everything goes smoothly and quietly, and we still don’t score points. But that’s the way things go; it’s the nature of the sport. We don’t ask for luck—normal luck is fine. It takes commitment and determination to score every point when the car can only manage one or two per Grand Prix. Losing 22 points is a huge amount.” – Fernando Alonso concluded.