Clips from fans of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso stretching the legs of a very special, screaming V10 McLaren have been circulating on socials as of late. The occasion? The two-time world champion and former McLaren driver reunited with his former boss, Zak Brown for a very special track day, with Alonso’s father, Jose Luis Alonso, in tow.
The Papaya boss’ extensive car collection is well known for having quite a few notable race cars, and over the years if he’s not racing them himself in vintage events, he’s inviting friends to enjoy them on track with him. This particular friends-only adventure took some of Brown’s prized cars, and the trio to Alcainz, Spain.
Making an appearance on track from Brown’s collection was a 1976 Australian Sports Sedan Championship-winning DeKon Monza, along with a five-time IMSA-winning 1989 TWR Jaguar XJR-10, and the 2011 Holden Commodore that won the Bathurst 1000 with Brown’s former team, Walkinshaw Racing.
But the crown jewel of this gathering was Ayrton Senna’s double-world championship-winning McLaren-Honda MP4/5. Making the day extra special, Fernando and his father were provided a pair of Ayrton Senna’s overalls to wear before snapping a few photos alongside the car, and eventually taking the legend’s car for a spin.
As is the case for the vast majority of F1 fans, Senna served as an inspiration for a young Fernando, as the then-McLaren driver told SennaTV in 2017.
“I think he was an inspiration for many of us [in] that generation,” he said. “We switched on the television and we saw that car winning, that yellow helmet winning, [and] we wanted to become Formula 1 drivers one day. Just because of him. So I think he’s one of the greatest for sure.”
Fernando later shared a series of photos from the trip and his personal archives to his socials, including an adorable one of him as a youngster in a McLaren-themed red and white kart. Another showed his father making himself comfortable in the 16-time race-winning MP4/5 as Fernando crouched by his side to seemingly share some helpful tips.
The Aston Martin driver later shared a touching tribute to his father on Instagram, saying it was “impossible to compensate my parents for everything [they] have given and taught me.” He also added a thank you note to Brown, expressing his gratitude for the American allowing him to “enjoy” Senna’s iconic McLaren “from time to time.”
Brown too reflected…
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