In the long and storied career of Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard has tamed the curbs of Monaco, conquered the dunes of Dakar, and survived the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans.
But it turns out there is one "prestigious gig" that even a two-time Formula 1 world champion couldn't secure: a seat in the most exclusive vehicle in the world – the Popemobile.
As the 2026 season takes an early breather, a delightful piece of history has surfaced, taking us back fifteen years to the summer of 2011. While Alonso was busy dragging a lackluster Ferrari 150° Italia to ten improbable podiums, the organizers for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Madrid for World Youth Day were busy cooking up a PR masterstroke.
The ultimate designated driver
The logic seemed sound enough at the time. Alonso was – and remains – a national hero in Spain. With the Pope’s visit scheduled during the F1 summer break, just one week before the Belgian Grand Prix, the timing was divine.
Who better to navigate the Holy Father through the swarming crowds of the Spanish capital than a man who earns his living skillfully racing at 300 km/h?
However, according to Yago de la Cierva, the coordinator of papal trips to Spain, the Vatican’s security detail didn't exactly share the vision of F1’s very own matador at the helm of the glass-domed white Mercedes.
"In 2011, we specifically asked if Fernando Alonso could drive the Popemobile. They were outraged and told us, 'Absolutely not!'" de la Cierva recalled.
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Apparently, the Vatican’s idea of "safe hands" differed significantly from that of the Madrid organisers. Despite Alonso’s reputation for surgical precision on the track, the proposal was met with a level of resistance usually reserved for heresy.
De la Cierva, undeterred by the "outraged" response, tried to vouch for the driver who would eventually finish fourth in that year's championship.
"I defended that idea and said, 'I think he knows how to drive, I mean, I think the Pope is not in danger,'" de la Cierva said.
Read also: Formula 1’s heartfelt gift to new dad Fernando Alonso
Ultimately, the argument that a man with two world titles "knows how to drive" wasn't enough to beat the bureaucratic red tape of the Holy See. The Vatican remained unmoved by Alonso’s credentials, including his win at the British Grand Prix that year at Silverstone.
“But [they responded] 'no, it has to be a national police officer,' and it was a national police officer," de la Cierva lamented.
And so, the world was denied the sight of Fernando Alonso maintaining a steady 10 km/h, checking his mirrors for the Swiss Guard, and perhaps – knowing Fernando – defending his line against any over-eager pilgrims looking for an overtake.
It remains, perhaps, the only time in history that a police officer was deemed more qualified for a driving job than the fastest man in Spain.
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