Alonso tweets with the fans

A few weeks ago, Fernando Alonso set up an official Twitter account (@alo_oficial) and the driver is using this medium to make direct contact with all his fans, recounting anecdotes, stories and glimpses of the daily life of a Formula 1 driver. It has proved enormously popular with around 300,000 followers reached in less than a month. Now and again, Fernando replies to questions from the fans and this is a summary of the first virtual press conference featuring the Spanish driver over the past few days, which was uploaded on fernandoalonso.com.

Cristian Garcia: “How good are you at cooking the Asturian bean stew?

FA: “The one my mother does is amazing! It was not something I liked that much, but now I miss it a lot.”

Ivan Ibarra: “I’d like to know if you take your Playstation with you when you travel to the various circuits?”

FA: “Of course. Especially when I travel outside Europe: I always have the Play and a computer with games…”

Marcos Huerta: I’d like to know what you felt when you took your first wins in karting and F1.”

FA: “To be honest, I don’t remember a thing about my first kart win: I was very little. As for F1, I was very happy and proud, because I knew it was something I’d remember for all my life.”

Sal Castaneda: “What are your favourite dishes in each country you visit?”

FA: “The team chefs usually prepare the same meals at every race weekend, wherever we happen to be: it’s a diet based on pasta, vegetables, meat, fish and fruit. Away from the track, we usually go to Japanese restaurants and that’s it: we are under control!”

Javier: “What can we do to help Ferrari win?”

FA: “You are already doing all you can by always giving your support. That is probably this team’s greatest strength: we are always united, in the good times and the bad and we can count on the support of our fans all over the world.”

Samuel Travieso: “I’d like to know why you changed your mind after ten years: Twitter, Facebook…”

FA: In recent months, there was a lot of confusion, completely unnecessary, regarding where I was and with whom and why. Everyone felt free to talk about it, even if it was not true and that was confusing for you fans who follow my career. On top of that, I think it is a fun way to use social networking. It is my point of view of what I see on my travels and when I’m training and anyone who is interested can read it. It’s also true that Raquel del Rosario tried for a long time to convince me to take this step: she knows how demanding and professional is the life of a driver and how little it is understood.”

Jose Sosa Canela: “I would like to know how the devil you manage to always be motivated, even in this situation when there is much to despair at…”

FA: “Every morning I wake up with the motivation and the will to win. I feel the same thing with all sports, races and games I play.”

Miguel Gordon: “I’d like to know if you’ll still be racing at 45? F1 will not be the same without you Fernando.”

FA: “I’ll carry on driving as long as I feel I’m competitive and capable of winning and helping the team. I hope that will be for a long time yet.”

Fabio Bonomo: “What do you think of when you’re on track?”

FA: “It depends, usually I’m thinking of the next corner, how to take it faster than on the previous lap. However, it’s true that at some tests or on a long run, I can think that some day I’ll do this or that, or that I need to sort a visa in my passport for the next trip… Really everyday things.”

Agustin Rodriguez: “What do you think of before the start?”

FA: “We have memorised a series of synchronised movements relating to the clutch, the accelerator, the gearbox, KERS, along with an idea about what line to take through the first corner. There’s no time to think of anything else.”

Manuel Navas Flores: “I’d like to know something about the truck drivers. I don’t know anything about them.”

FA: “If you mean those who drive the team trucks, they are really hard workers. They leave a week before the race and when they get to the track, they set up the motorhome and prepare the garage so that when the rest of the team arrives, everything is ready. Like I say, they are flat out!”

R. Castillo: “How many tweets are from Fernando and how many from the community manager?”

FA: “All the messages are mine, the nice ones and the horrible ones: I won’t let anyone else do it.”

Christian Garcia: “I’m curious, what is your reaction time to a stimulus?”

FA: “For example, if we take the traffic light at the start, the average last championship was around 185 thousandths. In training I can do it even quicker.”

Mag: “What have you got tattooed on your shoulder?”

FA: “Every tattoo represents something profound for a person and in a certain sense, it has no special significance. It’s not necessarily meant to be aesthetic, more it’s something that helps you as a person. I would pay great attention to everything that would be tattooed on my body, on its position and significance. To satisfy your curiosity, one day, I’ll take a photo of what’s there. However, the reason for it is something I’ll keep to myself as it’s very personal. The only thing I can say is that everything I have on my skin is and will be to honour my family, both past and present.”