SPANISH Formula 1 legend Fernando Alonso' last-ever Grand Prix will be the forthcoming date in Abu Dhabi, and among the tributes team McLaren has prepared for him is a limited-edition commemorative T-shirt.
Available ahead of the Oviedo-born twice-world champion's final Grand Prix, the Royal-blue shirt can be found on McLarenstore.com or by searching 'McLaren Fernando Alonso special edition retirement T-shirt'.
It costs €57 and, down the spine, lists all Alonso's victories over the course of his 17-year career – 32 in total, the first being his win at the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix and the last being the Spanish Grand Prix in 2013, where he soared back from 11th on the grid to clinch the title in a superhuman effort that had him in tears at the end.
Two white stars reflect his world championship titles, won in 2005 and 2006, and above these, what appear to be three crowns – two coloured in white and one blank – which are likely to represent the two legs of the so-called motorsport 'triple crown' Alonso has completed; the LeMans 24-Hour race, and the Monaco Grand Prix, with only the Indianapolis 500 still to go.
On the front, beneath the British scuderia's logo, McLaren has written Hasta Luego – 'see you later' – rather than 'goodbye', which shows the door will always be open to Alonso to return.
Also, Alonso will be driving with McLaren in his second attempt at the Indy500, meaning he has not completely left the team, only at Formula 1 level.
Alonso's colleagues – including world champion Lewis Hamilton, who calls him his 'greatest-ever rival', even ahead of Michael Schumacher, along with fellow global title-winner Sebastian Vettel – believe Fernando Alonso would return to Formula 1 without a second thought if he had the chance of racing in a competitive car.
After similar problems with both Ferrari and McLaren, Alonso has not won a single Grand Prix in five years since his hair-raising victory at the now-defunct Valencia street circuit, despite being considered almost universally by rivals, team-mates and experts as one of history's best-ever racing drivers.
Alonso's replacement, fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz Junior, believes McLaren will start to become competitive in 2019 and, given Fernando's loyalty to and affection for the team, this may mean he will not be away for long.
