Fernando Alonso, on the eve of his 400th Grand Prix weekend, was forced to skip Thursday’s media day and FIA press conference ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix. Alonso’s milestone weekend at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez got off to a rough start as Aston Martin announced that the Spaniard was feeling unwell. As a result, he was unable to attend the day’s media duties after arriving in Mexico following the previous weekend’s race in Texas. The team shared that Alonso was focusing on recovery and aimed to return for Free Practice 2 on Friday.
In addition to missing the media day, Alonso is also set to miss the first practice session, where reserve driver Felipe Drugovich will take his place for a mandatory rookie junior appearance. Drugovich’s participation is part of the team’s compliance with the F1 requirement for rookie drivers to participate in at least two sessions during the season. Consequently, Alonso’s weekend schedule has been shortened, as he will only be able to join the action from the second practice session onwards.
This weekend marks an important milestone in Alonso’s career, as he becomes the first driver in Formula 1 history to reach 400 Grand Prix entries. Having already set the record as the most experienced F1 driver, Alonso will extend his remarkable career longevity with this achievement. Kimi Raikkonen, another long-standing F1 driver, retired after 353 races, making Alonso’s 400th race a significant outlier in the sport.
In a recent interview on the *Beyond the Grid* podcast, Alonso reflected on the enormity of reaching the 400-race milestone. He admitted that hitting such a figure is “insane” and attributes it to his enduring passion for the sport. Despite having taken two years off in 2019 and 2020, Alonso highlighted how the modern, expanded F1 calendar has helped him reach this number more quickly compared to the past. Nonetheless, the achievement underscores his deep love for racing and Formula 1.
Alonso downplayed the personal significance of the 400-race mark, suggesting that pride might not be the right word for how he feels. Instead, he emphasized that his focus remains on the upcoming races, and reaching this number is simply a testament to his long-lasting commitment to F1. He acknowledged that while future drivers might eventually hit similar milestones, the rarity of such an achievement illustrates how much he has dedicated his life to the sport and his passion for racing, despite the demands of constant travel.
