Team: Renault
Nationality: Spanish
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| | Alonso |
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STATS
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Year
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Rank
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Wins
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Poles
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Podium
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Best finish
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2002
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Did not race
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Career
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0
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0
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0
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11th (Japan)
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2002 Recap
Having spent his rookie F1 season racing for Minardi in 2001, Alonso had to sit out 2002 to work as a test driver for Renault who has him under contract.
2001 Recap
The Good: Alonso was just 19 when he made his F1 debut, but the Spaniard managed to qualify 19th and finish 12th in his first race. That's pretty impressive considering he'd only been racing cars for two years and was driving the uncompetitive Minardi. Rookies Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen got most of the limelight in 2001, but Alonso's season was also notable.
Season Highlight: At the Japanese Grand Prix he qualified 18th, ahead of both Arrows and both Prosts, and went on to finish 11th ahead of drivers
such as Olivier Panis and Heinz-Harald Frentzen.
The Bad: The financially-strapped Minardi had little money for testing and development. Plus, the team had to use 1998 Cosworth engines that simply were no longer competitive. Alonso's teammates Tarso Marques and later Alex Yoong were no match for Alonso, so he had nobody to compare his performances against.
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| Alonso spent the 2002 campaign as a test driver for Renault. |
Key Stat: Qualifying. The Minardi was a back-of-the-grid car, but Alonso often hauled the slow Minardi up to an average starting spot of 17th. He could out-qualify the Arrows and Prost drivers and even started ahead of Jacques Villeneuve's BAR Honda at Indianapolis.
2003 Outlook
What needs to be done: Having spent 2002 testing with Renault, Alonso will slip seamlessly into the team's racing arm in 2003. He attended most races and sat in on the debriefs in 2002, so he knows how everything works. The Renaults were quick at times in 2002, but they were also unreliable. While still not among the top three teams (Ferrari, Williams and McLaren), Renault should be a step closer in 2003.
Prediction: Alonso is highly rated and much more mature after a season of racing and a season of testing. Now he has to prove that he is as good as people say he is.
Your Take
Alonso showed promise at Minardi, but does he have enough talent to find success with Renault? Check out your thoughts on Alonso's prospects for the 2003 season.
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