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The effervescent irruption of Fernando Alonso massed in Spain the interest in the Formula 1 World Cup, a championship that until (2004), when Telecinco acquired the broadcasting rights, had been jumping from television to television. The Alonsomania, visualized from that nomadic blue tide that dyed the slopes of most European circuits, gave way to an avalanche of applications for a karting license, from those families who believed they had the relief of the two-time Asturian champion. When the 15th anniversary of the second Spanish title (2006) is fulfilled, that fever to reach the F-1 has not disappeared, even though most kids are much more aware of the infinity of elements that must be aligned to finish up to one of the 20 cars that make up the World Championship grid. Probably, one of the witnesses who can best certify the relevance of these conditions is Álex Palou (Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, Barcelona; 24 years old), the pilot who this Sunday (9:45 p.m., Let’s go) can become the first Spanish champion of the IndyCar.
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The Catalan faces in Long Beach (California) the last of the 16 races of a contest that leads with 35 points of advantage over the Mexican Pato O’Ward, his main rival in the final brawl for the crown. For Palou, it is enough to finish in the top 11 to take the title, regardless of what the rest of the grid does, or even 12th would be worth it, as long as O’Ward does not claim pole. A more than realistic goal if you look at the stratospheric season of Barcelona, his second in Indy, in which he has won in three appointments (Alabama, Elkhart Lake and Portland) and has led the general table for several weeks. As if that were not enough, he was one step away from winning the 500 Miles (he was second), the most iconic race in the category.
If Alonso was the bait that served to popularize the F-1 in Spain, many fans will be this Sunday night pending Palou’s result. He exemplifies that profile of an athlete who decided to leave the established lane of the F-1 to find a life in other scenarios. The various karting titles he won caught the attention of Adrián Campos, who in 2014 gave him the opportunity to debut with single-seaters. Eight podiums on his debut led him to GP3 (2015 and 2016), before being forced to emigrate to Japan due to lack of budget to promote the F-2. One year (2018) in European Formula 3, and again towards Asia (2019), this time in Super Formula, where he focused many eyes by winning the test in Fuji and finishing third in the World Championship and as the best rookie. His good role opened the doors to Indy (2020), with the Dale Coyne team, where he soon began to launch those messages that the most powerful structures always manage to decrypt. Especially if the issuer is someone who has never competed in ovals before.
Alonso’s praise
The most direct manifesto was his astonishing timed run in the Indianapolis 500, in which he secured seventh place on the grid. Those flashes validated him as the replacement of the Swede Felix Rosenqvist in the Chip Ganassi structure, the current champion and the most powerful of all.
“It is very good that young people discover that there are alternatives to the F-1. I was lucky to have Oriol Serviá, who opened the doors to Indy for me. If it hadn’t been for him, he probably wouldn’t have arrived, ”says Palou about his entry into the United States. “Álex is a phenomenon and I see him as a champion. It is the most consistent and the best. I am very happy, because having a young Spaniard, triumphing in IndyCar, opens the eyes of new generations of drivers “, Fernando Alonso concedes, before finishing:” The F-1 is very good, but not reaching it it cannot become a frustrated dream ”.
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