Fernando Alonso may have caught his Alpine team off-guard when rivals Aston Martin announced they had signed the two-time world champion to race with them from next year, but before the Hungarian Grand Prix, it was all smiles between Alonso and Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer.
The team even took time to celebrate Alonso’s 41st birthday, complete with a birthday cake. But what could the two men have expressed to each other before Alonso’s bombshell departure was announced?
Can you come up with the best caption for this picture? Post your funniest suggestion in the comments below.
A selection of the best will feature in a future edition of the RaceFans Round-up.
Caption Competition
- Caption Competition 215: Pinch me, Carlos
- Caption Competition 214: You Musk be joking
- Caption Competition 213: Paddling Pierre
- Caption Competition 212: Marko my words
- Caption Competition 211: Ricciardo’s back and something’s afoot
Browse all Caption Competitions
Neil (@njf03)
13th August 2022, 11:05
Alonso having his cake, and eating it.
jff
13th August 2022, 12:20
Well done.
Philip Hobson
13th August 2022, 11:21
I’ll have it to go…..
jff
13th August 2022, 20:42
This one only showed up much later (I wonder why; can’t imagine what triggered it).
It’s very good though, well done.
Cyberaxiom (@dave-m)
13th August 2022, 11:55
Photographers capture the moment Fernando had the idea of deserting Alpine.
Urvaksh (@thedoctor03)
13th August 2022, 12:22
Brilliant @dave-m 😂
Hans van Voonebosch
13th August 2022, 12:08
The moment where Szafnauer left the communications department behind him unsupervised for 5 minutes.
Urvaksh (@thedoctor03)
13th August 2022, 12:16
Alonso quickly figured how he could have his cake there and then and, two days later, eat it too.
Urvaksh (@thedoctor03)
13th August 2022, 12:19
Can we submit multiple entries here @willwood? Or does more than one entry mean none of the suggestions will be considered?
jff
13th August 2022, 12:25
You can leave as many as you want but others (at least I) will wonder why you cannot decide for yourself which is the funniest.
Also it’s recommended to read the other entries first before you submit yours (and then try to be original).
Urvaksh (@thedoctor03)
14th August 2022, 11:56
Yeah, good point mate. Thanks
Lewisham Milton
13th August 2022, 14:15
Multiple entries are subject to a $200 million anti-dilution fee.
jff
13th August 2022, 14:56
;)
Urvaksh (@thedoctor03)
13th August 2022, 12:21
Otmar: Fernando, when I said you looked green on your birthday, I was asking about your health. Not encouraging you to join Aston.
Pete Watson (@cheezeejazz)
13th August 2022, 12:37
“This isn’t the first time someone tried to Sing-a-poor CeleBriatore song for me”
AlonsoStig (@stigf1l)
14th August 2022, 16:56
Excellent wordplay as i think it was seen like a poor celebration
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
13th August 2022, 12:37
Otmar thanks for the birthday wishes, you’re such an inspiration for me !
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
13th August 2022, 13:06
2 hours later, Fernando took to Twitter to clarify that in fact it was not his birthday and that he would not be celebrating his birthday with Alpine in 2023.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
13th August 2022, 13:25
Good.
Palindnilap (@palindnilap)
13th August 2022, 20:12
LOL ! Potential winner, but there is some competition already.
JungleMartin
13th August 2022, 13:06
You won’t be smiling when you hear what I wished for, Otmar.
Sihrtogg (@sihrtogg)
16th August 2022, 7:58
Nice.
Pete R (@prupp89)
13th August 2022, 13:07
The only two employees of Alpine that want to work there. Once Alonso saw the cake, that became one.
fllF1
13th August 2022, 13:10
Alonso: It’s my birthday, but have I got a present for you!
Will Wood (@willwood)
13th August 2022, 13:21
I have just been made aware that it is also Otmar Szafnauer’s birthday today…
I swear that is a complete coincidence! Happy Birthday to the Alpine team principal.
Ubaid Parkar
13th August 2022, 15:13
“Thanks for the cake. I always like to have a good des(s)ert story.”
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
13th August 2022, 22:17
Brilliant !
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
13th August 2022, 13:24
I wish Otmar made me a free man.
(Apparently Alpine owns drivers)
Only Facts!
13th August 2022, 13:30
Why didn’t you invite Oscar to the party, Otmar? You may regret this…
Richard Hill
13th August 2022, 13:45
Alonso could not hide his disappointment to see what Alpine meant when they said they would ‘sweeten the one year deal’…
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
13th August 2022, 14:17
You can have the other forty candles when you stop acting like a one-year-old.
Xaero
13th August 2022, 14:34
Alonso realising he hasn’t burnt his bridge to Renault/Alpine yet..
Derek Edwards
13th August 2022, 14:38
If you eat it all, Fernando, then we’ll take up the option on next year’s cake. Happy?
Effwon (@effwon)
13th August 2022, 15:31
“All the time you have to eat the cake”
Constantijn Blondel
13th August 2022, 15:40
“Let’s put that triple frown upside down”.
blob
15th August 2022, 5:12
this!
Jack (@jackisthestig)
13th August 2022, 16:07
“All of the time you HAVE TO LEAVE A SLICE!!”
Electroball76
13th August 2022, 18:22
It’s all just another part of “El Flan”
Effwon (@effwon)
13th August 2022, 21:17
Ok this is the winner, right here.
apexor
13th August 2022, 16:59
fernando: For my birthday wish I would like to have 10 world driver championships and a triple crown.
KG
13th August 2022, 18:09
Otmar:Where’s Flav?!
Nando: (cheeky smile) He’s busy…
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
13th August 2022, 18:10
I said optimise our performance in WAKE not cake!
Electroball76
13th August 2022, 18:10
Frodo reached into his pocket. The ring of invisibility was still there, next to the keys for the new Aston. That should make his escape much easier. But in shadows behind, the Eye of Mordor was constantly watching..
Broke1984 (@broke1984)
13th August 2022, 18:23
With Alonso moving to Aston Martin can he in fact have his cake and eat it?
F180 (@f180)
13th August 2022, 18:27
Where is the exit?
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
13th August 2022, 19:12
When Fernando spied the flowers he wondered if they were the sort you gave to someone who was dying … just a few months of suffering … and then off to somewhere hopefully better than where they’re at … then he saw they were fitting for the occasion.
Mark Reville (@myrrve)
13th August 2022, 19:31
Fernando: “I can see who ate all the pies”.
J9z (@jor93ort1z)
13th August 2022, 19:35
It’s a very poor cake so I decided go away
NinjaBadger (@ninjabadger)
13th August 2022, 20:11
Consistent peaks, little fruity on the side, grating on the edges; Fernando was presented a cake, in celebration of his birthday, by Alpine.
Palindnilap (@palindnilap)
13th August 2022, 20:23
Otmar’s last-ditch attempt to save face is just about to backfire.
Qeki (@qeki)
13th August 2022, 21:18
Alonso: “but look Stroll’s birthday is bigger and better I want to go there.”
RocketTankski
13th August 2022, 22:14
Stick with me, son, and one day all this could be yours..
Mog
13th August 2022, 22:39
Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.
k
13th August 2022, 22:40
Alonso cooking a special cake after celebrating his 41th birthday.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
13th August 2022, 22:48
Whilst it was all smiles for the camera, Fernando was unable to contain himself and stormed off screaming GP2 birthday cake, aaaarrrghhh!!!!!
Jockey Ewing
15th August 2022, 23:35
Nando: – Master GP2, if I eat it up, will I turn into a real green boy?
Szafnauer: – We would be pretty blue then.
Jockey Ewing
15th August 2022, 23:46
The very moment before Ocon arrived to have a “how many slices for which driver” type of negotiation, just to have their party spoilt by an also suddenly showing up and quite hungry honey badger.
Alan Davies
14th August 2022, 3:35
Fernando: It’s my birthday, Otmar, but you can cry if you want to
Billys (@bilarxos)
14th August 2022, 7:14
-Otmar, I want something to drink along with my cake.
-There’s a refrigerator behind you, you can choose whatever you like.
-I’ll pick the Green One, i like the colour.
-Good choise Fernando.
-That’s my thought exactly Otmar!
Robbie (@robbie)
14th August 2022, 9:18
Alonso: SURPRISE!!
Manos
14th August 2022, 10:34
A stroll will help digest it
Bryan (@ruz234014)
14th August 2022, 20:23
Before and after pic in Alpine diet marketing flyer still needs some photoshopping to remove the beard.
kartguy07 (@kartguy07)
14th August 2022, 20:24
After the first and second choices didn’t work out, Alpine announce their third choice for the race seat.
Placid (@placid)
16th August 2022, 0:14
Fernando: Best Birthday Cheesecake ever.
Otmar: DID YOU SAY CHEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE?
Fernando: Whoopsseeee!! I just exposed his best Monterey Jack impression!!!!!!!
Sihrtogg (@sihrtogg)
16th August 2022, 8:01
Not just the cake is a lie.
Kurt Laguna
16th August 2022, 17:48
“This cake was dropped off for you Alonso, the card said it was from some guy named A. Martin”