Fernando Alonso is one of the most outspoken drivers on the grid. Whether it be his infamous “GP2 Engine” radio call, or criticizing his rivals like Lewis Hamilton, he takes immense pride in calling things as he sees it. Ever since his return to F1, the Spaniard has been back to his best on and off the track. In terms of banter and sparking controversy, few can match Alonso’s standards.
However, when anything seems wrong, the two-time champion does not hesitate to raise his voice too, despite all the fun and games. Recently, he took to Instagram to express frustrations about the traffic safety standards in Spain.
Fernando Alonso doesn’t want to stay home for long!
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Alonso is a proud Spaniard and often boasts about his heritage. Though there are some issues in his homeland, that the 42-year-old cannot help but criticize. During the two-week break between the Brazilian Grand Prix and Las Vegas GP, Fernando Alonso has returned to Spain. During his brief visit, Fernando witnessed a scene that was extremely concerning.
A motorbike was making its way past a road in a pedestrian zone, which ticked off the two-time champion. He immediately took a photo of the person and posted it on Instagram, complaining about this incident.
According to him, this behavior is common in Spain. He writes, [translated] “A typical welcome to Spain. The less time I spend here, the better. Although this time, they at least sent someone who seems prepared. Better not to get into the details about the sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. Just in case you’re curious.”
He also zoomed in and posted another picture of the trespasser’s number plates, in the hopes that authorities would take action. He also tagged the official Instagram handle of the directorate-general for traffic.
With a national icon such as Fernando bringing these infractions to light, action might be taken soon. As of writing this article, there have been no comments from the authorities.
Fernando isn’t the only F1 athlete who is outspoken against traffic violations. In 2019, the FIA along with several drivers advocated for road safety in the form of a YouTube video.
F1 Drivers For Road Safety
Incidentally, the 2019 video was also released around the time of the Spanish Grand Prix. The complete 2019 grid, including Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Max Verstappen featured in this short film.
The video provided some hard-hitting facts for viewers to take home and exercise caution. “Everyday, 3,500 lives are lost on roads around the world. Driving can be dangerous.”
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They continued to provide a lot of guidelines to follow to promote road safety. This included several measures like “don’t text and drive”, “obey the speed limit” and stopping when you’re tired among others.
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In the end, FIA’s erstwhile president Jean Todt makes an appearance, stating “Your life is in your hands. Respect the rules.”