Fernando Alonso just involved in a ghastly crash that almost took his life earlier.
**Fernando Alonso Crash: A Look at His Most Notable Incidents**
Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula 1 World Champion, has earned a reputation as one of the most skilled and resilient drivers in motorsport history. With a career spanning more than two decades, Alonso has experienced the highs of championship victories and the lows of race-ending crashes. While he is best known for his exceptional racecraft, there have been several significant crashes throughout his career that have shaped his legacy.
### 1. **The 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix**
One of Alonso’s earliest crashes in his Formula 1 career came at the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, a chaotic race held in treacherous wet conditions. A series of incidents left debris on the track, and Alonso, driving for Renault at the time, hit one of the loose tires at high speed. The impact sent him crashing into the barriers. Despite the severity of the crash, Alonso walked away uninjured. This incident was one of many that day, and the race itself became infamous for its unpredictability.
### 2. **The 2015 Pre-Season Testing Crash**
Perhaps the most mysterious crash in Alonso’s career occurred during pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2015. While driving for McLaren, Alonso went off the track and crashed into the wall in an incident that seemed relatively minor. However, Alonso was airlifted to the hospital and reportedly suffered a concussion, with McLaren later revealing that Alonso had temporarily lost consciousness. Speculation and confusion followed the crash, with some claiming Alonso had no memory of the incident or the days surrounding it. The crash forced him to miss the opening race of the 2015 season in Australia.
### 3. **The 2016 Australian Grand Prix Crash**
One of Alonso’s most dramatic crashes occurred at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix. Early in the race, Alonso was involved in a high-speed collision with Haas driver Esteban Gutiérrez. After contact with Gutiérrez’s car, Alonso’s McLaren was launched into the air, somersaulted, and then smashed into the barriers before coming to rest upside down. The crash was so violent that Alonso later admitted he felt “lucky to be alive.” Remarkably, Alonso emerged from the wreckage unscathed and was able to walk away, though the McLaren was completely destroyed. The incident highlighted the safety advancements in Formula 1, as a crash of this magnitude could have been fatal in earlier eras.
At the start of the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, Alonso found himself at the center of a multi-car pile-up triggered by a late-braking Nico Hülkenberg. Hülkenberg collided with the back of Alonso’s McLaren, sending the Spaniard’s car airborne over Charles Leclerc’s Sauber. Alonso’s McLaren flew over Leclerc’s car, with the crash-testing innovation of the Halo device likely playing a key role in protecting Leclerc from serious injury. While Alonso escaped without harm, the incident served as another reminder of the dangers of open-wheel racing.
### 5. **The 2022 Austrian Grand Prix Incident**
In recent years, Alonso has returned to Formula 1 with Alpine (formerly Renault) and continues to compete at the highest level. During the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix, Alonso’s car suffered damage in a multi-car collision at the start of the race. While the crash was less severe compared to some of the others on this list, it highlighted Alonso’s continued determination to push the limits in a sport where danger is ever-present.
### Conclusion
Fernando Alonso’s career has been filled with moments of brilliance, but also crashes that have tested his resilience and determination. His ability to walk away from terrifying accidents, only to return stronger, is a testament to his skill and the advancements in Formula 1 safety. These incidents have not only shaped Alonso’s career but have also played a role in pushing Formula 1 to continuously improve safety standards for drivers.