Why do Hungarians support „last Mohican” Fernando Alonso in Formula 1?

A huge portion of Hungarian Formula 1 fans support two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who turns 42 this year. But why do the Spanish driver enjoy such popularity in a country that “only” hosts a race a year?

Fernando Alonso may celebrate his 42^nd birthday this year, but he’s still in a great shape. He still has that speed and resilience that won him two world championship titles, which could be four with just a touch more luck.

The Spanish Samurai could deal a huge blow this year as well. After a risky move to Aston Martin from Alpine – where he previously won his two world titles – seems to pay off big times, with the British squad making huge gains.

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Alonso could challenge for podiums and wins this year. This prospect might make Hungarian F1 fans go absolutely ballistic. But why do Hungarian F1 fans support Alonso instead of other younger F1 superstars like Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, or the new British superstar Lando Norris?

First, we must understand the differences between who watches Formula 1 globally and in Hungary. Recently – with the invaluable help of Netflix’s docudrama series Drive to Survive more and more young people started to watch F1. The growth is especially noticeable if we take a look at the gender of new supporters.

Female participants in F1’s recent Global Fan Survey almost doubled, with ESPN also reporting a record-high share of females in their audience. That change, however, is slow in Hungary, as the audience still mostly consists of middle-aged males.