Fernando Alonso

Alonso has completed Ironman triathlons — the full 3.8km swim, 180km cycle, and 42km run. He approached the training with the same structure he brings to racing, hiring coaches and following strict preparation plans. He finished respectably for an amateur athlete, though 'amateur' feels like the wrong word for someone with his approach to physical preparation.

In 2020, Alonso entered the Dakar Rally (one of the world's most gruelling off-road races) with the Toyota Gazoo Racing team. On his first attempt at the event, he finished 13th overall and was consistently competitive against full-time rally-raid professionals. He won his class on multiple stages. He cited the Dakar as one of the hardest physical and mental challenges he'd faced.

In 2017, Alonso skipped the Monaco Grand Prix to compete in the Indianapolis 500, declaring that he wanted to chase motorsport's Triple Crown (Monaco, Indy, Le Mans). He qualified on the front row and led laps before retiring with engine failure. He returned in 2019 but failed to qualify. The decision to skip Monaco for Indy was audacious and generated enormous press coverage.

Alonso won Le Mans in 2018 and 2019 driving for Toyota, completing two legs of the Triple Crown. He threw himself into the preparation with characteristic intensity, doing endurance runs and working closely with Toyota's LMP1 technical team. His Le Mans victories are among the most celebrated moments of his non-F1 career.

Cycling is one of Alonso's primary off-season activities. He's been photographed cycling in the mountains near his Swiss home and in his native Asturias, and follows professional cycling closely. He has raced in amateur cycling events and uses cycling as active recovery around his triathlon and gym training.

Alonso established the Fernando Alonso Karting Circuit in Llanera, near Oviedo in Asturias. He runs the Fernando Alonso Management (FAM) group, which manages his commercial interests, and has invested in young Spanish motorsport talent through an academy. The karting circuit hosts events and junior competitions and is a genuine facility rather than a vanity project.

In early 2021, Alonso was struck by a car while cycling near Lugano, sustaining a broken jaw and requiring surgery. He returned to racing within weeks and has since continued cycling regularly, apparently undeterred. The accident generated significant media coverage and sparked debate about road safety for cyclists in Switzerland.

During the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso's Honda-powered McLaren suffered a terminal engine failure, and his radio message became instantly famous: 'GP2 engine! GP2! Argh!' It was broadcast on live television and became one of the most-quoted moments in modern F1 history. Alonso later said he stood by the sentiment, if not necessarily the phrasing.