That one time Taylor Swift was ‘hilariously,’ romantically linked to Formula One driver

If Taylor Swift shows up at the Miami Grand Prix this weekend, maybe she’ll have a good laugh with Formula One driver Fernando Alonso, whom she was rumored to be secretly dating last year. He’ll be there.

Taylonso? Really, people?

The Spanish champion poked fun at the rumors after Swift mentioned his race team, Aston Martin, in a song on her new album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”

The reference in the breakup song “imgonnagetyouback” reignited interest in the old rumors, and not just among Swifties.

“Have you listened yet?” the car website Jalopnik wrote. “If so, have you spotted the subtle Aston Martin reference that some fans think is a nod to Formula 1 racer Fernando Alonso?”

Aston Martin, swiftly jumping on the chance to use the hype, made a promotional video showing Alonso listening to the lyric: “I’m an Aston Martin you drove straight into the ditch then ran and hid.”

Alonso is seen scrolling on an iPad as the song plays, then holds his finger to his mouth in a shushing motion. He doesn’t show any reaction when Swift sings “Aston Martin.”

That TikTok has more than 800,000 views and 9,000 comments so far.

Rival racing team McLaren declared it “iconic.”

Swift leaves her lyrics up to public interpretation — in this song she’s trying to decide “whether I’m gonna be your wife, or gonna smash up your bike” — and in this case, both Swifties and race fans had fun with the Aston Martin reference.

This was Sports Illustrated’s take.

“Initially, the song was presumed to be directed at Matty Healy from The 1975, reflecting on a past relationship,” SI wrote.

“However, the specific mention of ‘Aston Martin’ in Swift’s lyrics and Alonso’s suggestive response creates a compelling narrative that extends beyond mere coincidence.

“While Alonso has never publicly commented on the nature of his relationship with Swift, his playful response in the Aston Martin video implies a mutual recognition of the public’s curiosity and perhaps a hidden story, but it’s more than likely either Alonso, or even both of them, having a bit of fun with what is only a rumor.”

No doubt Swifties who don’t follow Formula One did a lot of Googling when that rumor first surfaced last year. Here’s what they found on Formula1.com.

Alonso was born in Oviedo, Spain, has two world championships and at 42 is one of the oldest Formula One drivers and Grand Prix winners.

(One fan commenting on his TikTok wrote: “Why is he more gen z than the gen z racers?”)

He pulled a Tom Brady when he retired for two years, then came back in 2021 after the pandemic.

“Michael Schumacher was the undisputed king of Formula 1 in the early 2000s, picking up wins and championships at a rate that was simply unheard of at the time,” the Formula One website says.

“It was going to take someone very special to topple the Ferrari legend from his throne — and that it was Fernando Alonso who did it, tells you all you need to know about the Spaniard.”

“Fiercely competitive, Alonso is not shy about his talent, rating himself as 9/10 ‘in everything.’ and few in the know would disagree, with his performances in F1 characterized by blistering speed, brilliant tactical thinking, exemplary race craft, a razor-sharp eye for detail and a relentless determination to win.”

The Swift rumors popped up in April 2023 when the Instagram gossip account Deuxmoi posted a blind item from an unnamed source that the two were secretly dating.

But a rumor doesn’t pass the smell test when even The New York Post’s gossipy Page Six writes that “Fernando Alonso, the Anti-Hero of the Formula 1 grid, has hilariously been linked to pop star, Taylor Swift.

“Many fans believe the speculation to be completely baseless, as the blind item was flagged by Deuxmoi as ‘entertainment’ only.’”

But that didn’t stop people from creating a crop of TikToks showcasing the handsome race car driver set to various Swift songs.

At the time, Swift had just split from her longtime boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, and Alonso — who has dated many women including models, journalists and apparently one Miss Switzerland — had also just ended a relationship.

Alonso told reporters who asked about the Swift rumors, “I don’t comment on anything.”

But he did make a teasing TikTok that showed him scrolling on his phone, looking at the camera and winking as Swift’s “Karma” played.

He captioned the post: “Race week era.”

The New York Post has noted that Swift’s only connection to Formula One was performing at the 2016 United States Grand Prix.

That could well change this weekend if new rumors are true that she and boyfriend Travis Kelce, along with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany Mahomes, will attend the Miami Grand Prix.

Kelce and Mahomes are new co-owners of a Formula One team.

And no, it’s not Aston Martin.