If Formula 1 is the king of car racing, then MotoGP is its two-wheeled equivalent – making for the highest level of professional motorcycle road racing in the world. With riders hitting speeds of over 220 miles per hour, knees scraping the asphalt in death-defying corners, and races that often come down to hundredths of a second, it’s definitely not a sport for the faint of heart. Enter: David Alonso – a fresh-faced 18-year-old who has already etched his name into motorcycle racing history.
And the best part? He’s representing the Latinos.
Born in Madrid to a Spanish father and Colombian mother, he proudly races under the Colombian flag, and he’s quickly becoming the next racer to watch in the world of MotoGP.
The MotoGP World Championship is divided into three classes: Moto3, the entry-level category, featuring smaller 250cc four-stroke engines; Moto2, the next step up, featuring more powerful and even faster bikes with 765cc engines, and MotoGP, the premier class where legends compete on custom-built, state-of-the-art bikes.
As of right now, his meteoric rise through the ranks of Moto3 has captivated fans worldwide, positioning him as a formidable talent to watch in the Moto2 World Championship and beyond. Here’s a closer look at his impressive trajectory.
From Toy Bikes to World Records
Alonso’s passion for racing ignited at the tender age of five when his parents gifted him an adorable toy motorcycle. But while we may have all been gifted Sesame Street-themed pianos or Barbie’s Malibu Dream House as kids, not many of us have taken the steps to make those childhood toys into adulthood realities.
Yet for the 18-year-old Colombian athlete, this seemingly innocuous present sparked a lifelong dedication to the sport. By the age of six, he was already competing in regional championships (!!!), propping him up for a career marked by relentless ambition and exceptional skill.
Alonso would eventually become a force to be reckoned with, if that hadn’t been established already by his literal racing skills at six years old, as he went on to earn the Spanish 85GP Championship in 2018, secure the European Talen Cup title in 2020, and eventually win the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup with six victories and ten podiums by 2021.
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Alonso would then go on to make his official, full-time debut in the 2023 Moto3 season – which was nothing short of spectacular. He clinched four victories and four additional podiums, earning the title of Rookie of the Year and finishing third overall in the championship standings.
The following year, Alonso’s performance reached real historic heights. In the 2024 season, he amassed 14 wins out of 20 races, setting a new record for the most victories in a single Moto3 season. Seven of those wins were back-to-back-to-back, landing him a whopping total of 421 points, the highest ever in the Moto3 category. With a record like that, it’s no surprise he went on to win the Moto3 World Championship, and subsequently solidified himself as the most successful rider in Moto3 history.
Latino Representation in Motorsport
Alonso’s wins on the track are clearly more than just a personal triumph; it’s a win for Latino representation in motorsports overall. Most riders within MotoGP, motocross, and motorsports in general tend to be from Europe, which doesn’t give other racers with talent the ability to push through the barriers that stand before them. Even his decision to run for Colombia instead of Spain (again, his father’s heritage) stands out as a huge defiance of what is traditionally represented on an international level.
In true Mami’s Boy fashion, Alonso made the decision to run for Colombia in honor of his mother’s unwavering support over the years.
In an interview with El Colombiano, he elaborated on his choice, saying, “It’s a decision I made together with my team and my family to honor my mother. To raise the tricolor flag as high as possible. When you hear the anthem, you feel much more special in those podium moments. It just makes you feel better.”
The love is being given right back to him, with his success resonating deeply in Colombia, a country not traditionally known for producing motorcycle racing champions. Alonso’s achievements have ignited a newfound enthusiasm for the sport, inspiring a generation of young Colombian riders to pursue their own dreams, and even a new entertainment surge of motorcycle stunt shows in places like Bogota and Medellin. Who knew?
What Lies Ahead
This year, Alonso has already taken the next step in his career by moving up to the Moto2 World Championship with the CFMoto Aspar Team. He’s one of the team’s newest and youngest additions, and while the competition is fiercer and the challenges are sure to be more demanding, Alonso’s track record suggests he’s well-equipped to excel beyond expectations.
And his aspirations don’t just stop at Moto2. The budding Colombian rider has his sights set on MotoGP, the very pinnacle of motorcycle racing.
With his blend of talent and determination, he’s got everything it takes to become a future world champion. But even more impressively, he’s walking that path for Colombia and Latinos everywhere. It’s a feat that hasn’t been given to Latin America in the past, but is sure to soon develop more racers like Alonso ready to show the world that we’ve got what it takes.
