General
Alonso about to break a record of Schumacher this weekend
- GPblog.com
Fernando Alonso is about to break a record held by Michael Schumacher. If he starts in Baku, the Spaniard will have the longest Formula 1 career of all.
The Express has dived into the record books and reports that Alonso can overtake Schumacher for the record of longest F1 career. The Spaniard made his debut in Formula 1 for Minardi in 2001 in Australia. Meanwhile, the two-time World Champion has 340 starts behind his name and can break Kimi Raikkonen's record later this season in Singapore. The Finn retired after 349 race starts.
Record of Schumacher
He can already break the record of the longest career before that weekend, namely next race in Azerbaijan. Alonso's career then lasts 21 years, three months and eight days. That of Schumacher lasted 21 years and three months exactly.
Remarkable of the three drivers mentioned is that they all had a period in which they did not race in Formula 1. Raikkonen left F1 after 2009 to race rallies in the WRC in 2010 and 2011. Schumacher retired after 2006, but could not say no to Mercedes' project in 2010. Alonso wanted to learn other sports in 2019, but returned to Formula 1 in 2021.