Fernando Alonso thrills 170,000 fans at home in Oviedo (pictures and video)

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Fernando Alonso performing for his fans in Spain

Fernando Alonso took to the streets of his home town in Oviedo, Spain to demonstrate a Renault R28 for his adoring fans.

It’s safe to assume no-one pointed out the R28 was the same car he won last year’s Singapore Grand Prix in

The twice-champion, who was commemorated with a new street named after him, also drove one of his own brand of karts plus a Renault Megane Trophy race car. Here are some pictures and video from the event.

Lots of footage has already started to appear on YouTube and other sites. During the event Alonso took a camera from a fan and used it to film as he drove along – it would be great to see that footage so if anyone can find it, please post a link below.

And if you were at the roadshow and have pictures and video of your own to share, please upload them to the F1 Fanantic drop.io.

Fernando Alonso Renault Oviedo roadshow pictures

Fernando Alonso Renault Oviedo roadshow video

Images (C) Renault/LAT

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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50 comments on “Fernando Alonso thrills 170,000 fans at home in Oviedo (pictures and video)”

  1. It’s safe to assume no-one pointed out the R28 was the same car he won last year’s Singapore Grand Prix in…

    No, Keith I’m afraid it’s not safe. The first thing Lobato (Alonso “boyfriend”) said when La Sexta started the TV programme was something like:

    “We are going to watch Fernando driving the R28, the same car with he won Singapore GP last year”

    Was a very nice event. Fernando was making donuts driving a kart with the keens meanwhile he was taking photos with a Fan’s camera.

    A happy day for him and for all Oviedo aficionados.

    1. Great pics, as always (I forgot to tell you)

    2. No, Keith I’m afraid it’s not safe. The first thing Lobato (Alonso “boyfriend”) said when La Sexta started the TV programme was something like: “We are going to watch Fernando driving the R28, the same car with he won Singapore GP last year”

      LOL! Were you there then?

      1. No Keith, just watching it at TV, and it’s 100% true!

  2. I want to know who gets more attention in Spain. Nadal or Alonso?

    1. Nadal.

      And Gisele Bundchen over both…

  3. Is it the 2008 car but in the 2009 livery?

    1. Yep. Horrible looking. the Mild Seven livery was fantastic. It symbolized Renault for me.

      1. I didn’t like the Mild Seven one either – the hodge-podge blue-yellow never worked in my eyes.

        I preferred the yellow/black of the seventies and eighties. They did a version of a modern car in that style of livery in 2007 but sadly they never raced it. It look fantastic. Here it is:

        https://www.racefans.net/2007/07/04/more-pictures-of-the-stunning-retro-renault/

        1. But it looks exactly like the buzzin hornets jordan. doesn’t it?

          1. It does, a bit! But nicer…

      2. I think the 2008 car looks quite nice in this year’s livery. The lines suit it better than 2009’s fat heffer.

  4. I’m with you there mp4-19b, I really liked the Mild Seven livery as well. I think the blue/yellow combination worked somehow…

    1. Agreed, Mild Seven Blue/Yellow was their best livery, much easier on the eyes than the new mess.

      1. I agree as well the mild seven of ’04 – ’06 was the best livery. It also worked perfectly as it used the same colours as the flag of Alonso’s home region. The Alonso fans would form a sea of blue and yellow everywhere they went.

        Have to say i though the ’07-’08 livery was ok, but the 09 livery really doesnt suit the 08 car. Its an ugly livery so it should stay on the ugly 09 car.

        1. Basic problem is that ING’s colours don’t lend themselves to being aesthetically pleasing…

  5. yes, Mild Seven was best!!!

    Last year’s was also decent.

    This year’s is a fruit salad

    1. or a McDonalds

  6. Bet he loves driving the R28 compared to the tank he is in this year! (Yes, I know they have been improving.)

  7. With ING pulling out of F1 next year, I hope the blue and yellow livery returns. They could use there Team Spirit logo since tobacco sponsors are not allowed.

    1. Marlborough Still sponsor Ferrari.

      1. Yes they do but, the Marlboro logo has been seen on the car in a race since China 2007.

        1. think you mean it hasn’t been seen since then.

          1. Yes, thank you.

    2. I liked the blue and yellow livery as well, but as the current livery shows next years colour scheme will be dictated by who they manage to get as sponsors rather than what looks good.

  8. wow that renault race car looks pretty awesome!

  9. it has some “onboard” features:

    1. Doughtnutting with his feet – very cool!

  10. Looks like they closed half the city for him to have fun

    1. When McLaren wanted to celebrate Hamilton’s title they weren’t even allowed to put on a demo in Woking. And when Ferrari wanted to film that cool advert in London a year or two ago they couldn’t get permission either.I definitely prefer the Spanish attitude…

      1. Its the British stiff upper lip. Which means boring. They don’t celebrate success only failure.

        1. I think it’s more to do with paranoia about liability. After the (hugely popular) F1 parade in London in 2004 there were some people complaining about how fast the cars had been going and how close to the crowd they were.

          1. So what! There were a few hundred thousand that thought it was awesome, me being one of them. Organisers drastically underestimated the turn out.

      2. I’d heard it was more to do with the costs of the event rather than public safety fears – Surrey County Council were apparently happy for the event to go ahead but only if McLaren picked up the bill for policing, marshalling, road closures, etc.

        Mika Hakkinen demonstrated a McLaren in Woking after his first title in 1998 and, if I remember rightly, it took place on the main roads around the commercial and shopping district of the town – no other place for it, really. The disruption was fairly substantial so presumably the cost to the council can’t have been insignificant.

        A few years ago Damon Hill demonstrated a Renault F1 car in Whitehall to promote the London motor show – but that took place within an enclosed car park so no need to shut any roads.

  11. He kind of reminds me of the scallywags who ride those mini motorcycles and quad bikes round our local car park. … except he can actually drive.

  12. Awesome video showing Alonso’s skill !

  13. Well,that was fun!

    I’m with you guys…I love the Mild Seven livery.I usually don’t like light blue or yellow but,it worked together somehow.The retro black and yellow reminds me of the old Suzuki dirt bikes I rode as a kid.

  14. I didn’t like the Mild Seven one either – the hodge-podge blue-yellow never worked in my eyes.
    (…) They did a version of a modern car in that style of livery in 2007 but sadly they never raced it. It look fantastic.

    Wow! I missed it 2 years ago :( and yes- it is fan-tas-tic! but I have to admin I love livery of R25/26, too.

  15. he nearly hit the wall a few times. thank god they didn’t do one in piquet’s home town :-)

  16. By the way- I forgot to add in previous reply- it’s Oviedo, not Ovideo :)

    1. Couldn’t see where I’d mis-spelled it at first! Have changed it now.

  17. So, is that some kind of hyped up Megane touring car he’s driving there? Me likey very much. Is it a one-off, or do they race those?

    1. To do a proper reply to your post AJ, the Renault Megane Trophy is a race series using those hyped-up Meganes. (I believe they’re creating an rFactor mod with those cars… ;))

      1. Stealthman?? Were you in hiding for too long?? ;) That Megane mod for rfac was released ages back!!

        here is the Link.

  18. Here is the requested video of Alonso taking a camera from a fan and making a video….FANTASTIC..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyKGL8j_K80

  19. You may like the website that a local newspaper has opened with the photos taken by the crowd:
    La Nueva España.

    And talking about safety, I was there and I saw the concrete protections for the spectators, the police and the ambulances. I guess that when everything is planned there is no risk. However, as everybody pointed, Spain is not UK. We don’t say “Mind the gap between the train and the platform”, we assume that some stupid will insert the foot in the gap and let the rest enjoy an advice-free announce.

    1. I did once fall between the train and the platform! All the way to my knee! But then I am spanish, how could I have known…
      By the way, the turnout was 170000 and the population of Oviedo is 210000. 40000 must have been on holidays!

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