RacingFernando Alonso nearly chauffeured Pope Benedict XVI through Madrid in 2011. Organizers asked if the two-time Formula 1 world champion, then driving for Ferrari, could take the wheel of the Popemobile during the papal visit. Vatican officials shut it down, saying the vehicle could only be driven by a national police officer. That is how Yago de la Cierva, the coordinator of papal trips to Spain, tells it now.
“In 2011 we specifically asked if Fernando Alonso could drive the Popemobile. They were outraged and told us, ‘Absolutely not!’” de la Cierva said while recalling the exchange. He and his team thought the idea fit the moment. Alonso was Spain’s standard-bearer in F1 and one of the biggest sporting names in the country. The visit landed during Formula 1’s summer break, before Spa, so Alonso was available.
There was form to point to as well. Alonso’s 2011 season had him on the podium 10 times, with a win at the British Grand Prix, and he finished fourth in the championship. Ferrari’s driver behind the wheel of the Popemobile, in front of home fans in Madrid, had appeal. De la Cierva said he argued the point with officials by leaning on Alonso’s driving skill and the fact the Pope would not be at risk.
But the answer never moved. “No, it has to be a national police officer,” de la Cierva recalled the Vatican’s reply. Protocol ruled the day. The Popemobile, as always, stayed in official hands, and a national police officer drove the route with Pope Benedict XVI on board.
De la Cierva’s anecdote, shared years after the visit, sketches a what-if that sits neatly in Alonso’s off-track lore. It suggests how close Spain came to a mash-up of sporting fame and a global stage. The plan made sense to organizers, the timing lined up, and the star was ready. The rulebook said otherwise, and the moment passed.