Ferrari insider claims Fernando Alonso’s attempts to influence the team cost him multiple F1 titles. Former Ferrari engineer suggests Fernando Alonso’s team influence backfired.

Fernando Alonso remains widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted drivers in Formula 1 history, yet his record of two world championships continues to fuel debate about whether his achievements fully reflect his extraordinary talent. Many within the paddock have long argued that the Spaniard possessed the ability to win far more titles, particularly given how close he came on several occasions during one of Formula 1’s most fiercely competitive eras.

Now, former Ferrari and Mercedes engineer Aldo Costa has offered a candid perspective on why Fernando Alonso’s championship tally may have fallen short of what many expected. According to the experienced Italian, the issue was never Fernando Alonso’s speed, racecraft, or technical understanding, but rather aspects of his broader approach to team dynamics behind the scenes.

Aldo Costa’s assessment of Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari years

Aldo Costa spent more than 15 years inside Ferrari, joining the Scuderia in the mid-1990s and becoming deeply involved in the team’s technical structure during some of its most successful years. His time at Maranello overlapped with Fernando Alonso’s arrival in 2010, when the Spaniard immediately transformed Ferrari into a serious championship contender.

Fernando Alonso came agonisingly close to delivering a title in his debut Ferrari season, only to lose out to Sebastian Vettel in the dramatic Abu Dhabi finale. A similar story unfolded in 2012, when Fernando Alonso once again mounted an extraordinary championship challenge despite arguably not having the fastest car on the grid. Those near-misses have become central to the argument that the Spaniard deserved far more than two Formula 1 crowns.

Speaking on the Terruzzi Racconta podcast, Aldo Costa described the Spanish driver as an exceptional competitor but suggested their working relationship was not especially smooth. The former Ferrari engineer indicated that Fernando Alonso’s desire to maximise performance sometimes extended beyond driving and technical development into areas involving team organisation and internal influence.

According to Aldo Costa, if Fernando Alonso had focused exclusively on extracting performance from the car and supporting its technical evolution, his legacy in Formula 1 could have included several more championships. The engineer suggested that Fernando Alonso’s attempts to shape organisational decisions within teams may have created friction that ultimately worked against him.

The reputation that followed Fernando Alonso through Formula 1

Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 career has long carried a split narrative. On one hand, he is celebrated as one of the sport’s sharpest racers, capable of producing extraordinary performances under pressure. On the other, questions have periodically surfaced about his influence within teams and his management style behind closed doors.

Stories from previous chapters of Fernando Alonso’s career have often fed that reputation. During his turbulent 2007 McLaren campaign, reports emerged of gestures toward team personnel that sparked internal controversy, although some former colleagues later dismissed the idea that such actions were intended to secure loyalty or create division.

Whether entirely fair or exaggerated, the perception of the Spaniard as a demanding and politically influential figure has followed him throughout much of his Formula 1 journey.

Why Mercedes never made the move

The discussion around Fernando Alonso’s reputation also resurfaced in relation to Mercedes. Following Lewis Hamilton’s decision to move to Ferrari, reports suggested some within the Brackley-based team admired Fernando Alonso as a potential option. Similar speculation had also emerged years earlier when Nico Rosberg unexpectedly retired after winning the 2016 world championship.

However, Aldo Costa indicated that support for the move was far from universal. According to his account, influential figures within Mercedes, including senior leadership and Lewis Hamilton himself, were not in favour of bringing Fernando Alonso into the team environment at that time.

That said, Fernando Alonso’s longtime manager Flavio Briatore has consistently rejected the notion that the Aston Martin driver is difficult to manage, arguing that such portrayals are media-driven narratives rather than an accurate reflection of reality.

Now in the later stages of his Formula 1 career, Fernando Alonso remains determined to fight for success, but the debate over what might have been continues. For many fans, the question is simple: was Fernando Alonso simply unlucky in Formula 1’s most competitive eras, or did aspects of his own approach cost him the chance to become one of the sport’s most decorated champions?