Alonso made the announcement during via a social media post, confirming his retirement from Formula 1 at the end of the 2018 season.
Dear F1 ..... pic.twitter.com/G9ZzdMwgMn— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) August 14, 2018
Alosno career in Formula 1 started when he stepped up with Minardi back in 2001 becoming the third-youngest driver ever to start a Formula 1 race at that time, contesting a season with the team with a best result was a tenth place finish during the German Grand Prix and epic drive at the final round of the season at Suzuka where he finished in eleventh place, ahead of likes of Heinz-Harald Frentzen in the Prost, the BAR of Olivier Panis, the two Arrows and his team-mate Alex Yoong, even Minardi team manager Paul Stoddart, described his race as "53 laps of qualifying".
Alonso move to Renault in 2002 became a test-driver, then promoted as a driver in 2003. In 2003, Alonso became the youngest driver at that time to achieve a Formula One pole position at the Malaysian Grand Prix, while finishing third for his first podium of his career. By the Hungarian Grand Prix that season, Alonso won the race, became the youngest driver to win a Formula One race at that time.
Then in 2005, Alonso won seven Grand Prixs' that season to become F1 World Champion ahead of Kimi Räikkönen, to became the youngest Drivers' Champion at that time at the age of 24 years and 59 days old, breaking Emerson Fittipaldi's record. He also ended the five-year dominance of Michael Schumacher.
Then in 2006, Alonso repeated it again winning seven Grand Prixs' and winning 2006 F1 World Title ahead of Michael Schumacher.
By the end of 2005, Alonso announced that he would be moving to McLaren for 2007. However, 2007 was a season Alonso should have won the Drivers' title, Alonso losing out to World Champion Kimi Räikkönen by just one point after a dramatic season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.
Despite winning four Grand Prixs' that season with McLaren, Alonso left the team at the end of the 2007 season despite having two seasons left, after the spy-gate scandal which excluded McLaren from the Constructors' Standings. Alonso opted to return to Renault for 2008, winning two more Grand Prixs' in 2008 includes infamous Singapore Grand Prix where the team won via crash-gate.
With a win-less 2009, Alonso opted to move to Ferrari for 2010. Ending Alonso's six seasons at Renault winning seventeen Grand Prixs' and two Drivers' Titles.
Alonso won his first race at Ferrari at the first Grand Prix of the season in 2010. Despite Alonso winning five Grand Prixs' that season, Alonso lost the Drivers' title, losing out to Red Bull rival Sebatian Vettel by four points after a dramatic season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
2012 season, despite winning three Grand Prixs' that season, Alonso lost the Drivers' title once again, losing out to Red Bull rival Sebatian Vettel by three points after a dramatic season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.
By the end of 2014, Alonso opted return to McLaren, end his five season stay at Ferrari, which included eleven Grand Prix wins' in the first four seasons.
So far at Alonso's second stint at McLaren, has not been glorious due to poor engines from Honda which meant McLaren couldn't challenge the front of the grid, with his best results four fifth place finishes between those four seasons, resulting Alonso retirement from Formula 1 at the end of the season.
Should have been F1 World Champion back in 2007, 2010 and 2012 to add his 2005 and 2006 titles in my opinion becoming a five-time world champion instead of a two-times champion.
I personally thought he might do another season with McLaren going into 2019. But, with yesterday's news happening, it maybe the right time to retire from Formula 1. Good luck whatever Fernando Alonso does next (my guess another go at Indy 500 and Le Mans 24), as his been a great ambassador for the sport and a great driver for Formula 1.
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