Fernando Alonso made history last night when he became the first driver in history to be inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame twice. The Spaniard received his second induction as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship ceremony in Paris.
Speaking to Motorsport Week after the ceremony, the double Le Mans winner explained how it felt to be a part of the prestigious event.
"I think it’s a great pleasure for me to share evening with these great champions," Alonso said. "Some of them, they were an inspiration for me when I was a kid, and now, to share this room is a pleasure. Good for FIA as well, to organize this Hall of Fame.
I think it gives credit to great champions that maybe are not up-to-date, and this is the way to have a legacy for future generations, and I’m happy for these kind of things."
Alonso was one of a large number of drivers to be honoured during the ceremony at the Automobile Club de France in Paris. The ceremony was held to induct every winner of the World Endurance Championship's two periods into the Hall of Fame, which previously only held Formula One and World Rally Championship winners.
"I think endurance racing is a wonderful part of motorsport," Alonso continued. "It has all the right ingredients and all the values that motorsport shares with other things. And you know, this sense of friendship that you need to build with your team and with your teammates, the trust, the teamwork, is perfect example when you talk about endurance racing, so I’m happy that people will know more and more about this championship."
In his tenure with Toyota Gazoo Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Alonso won the 2018/19 Super Season and also captured two overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, giving him many fond memories.
"I think both Le Mans, both Le Mans will be the highlight. But I think, a part of the victories will be the atmosphere and how you leave the weekends, I think they are very different to Formula One and different disciplines that I’ve been racing in.
I think here it’s just a common love for motorsport that you share not only with your rival, but also with other cars from categories that try to help each other in the middle of the night, or whatever. So I think that is very unique."
