A New Alonso Arrives
Fernando Alonso has become a father for the first time. The two-time Formula 1 World Champion and his partner Melissa Jiménez welcomed a son named Leonard ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.
Alonso arrived at Suzuka on Friday morning rather than the usual Thursday, having skipped media day entirely for personal family reasons. After FP2, Alonso confirmed both mother and baby were doing well, noting he was jet-lagged after landing that morning.
FP1 Handover
Alonso gave up his FP1 seat to Aston Martin reserve driver Jak Crawford, fulfilling the team's mandatory rookie running obligation for the season. Crawford posted a 1:36.362 on hard tyres, finishing P22 — 1.068 seconds behind team-mate Lance Stroll.
Back to Business
Alonso returned to the cockpit from FP2 onwards. Missing the crucial opening practice session clearly affected his weekend preparation, but the two-time champion pressed on regardless — at 44, starting an entirely new chapter off the track while continuing to compete at the highest level on it.
Go Deeper With Race Data
Access live timing, practice analysis, tyre strategies, and qualifying predictions powered by real F1 data.
Join F1 Race Intel