Fernando Alonso signs with Renault F1 team for 2021 season
Fernando Alonso will make his Formula 1 return for the Renault team next year, the French car manufacturer announced on Wednesday.
The Spaniard, who won his only world titles for Renault in 2005 and 2006, last raced in F1 at the end of 2018 when he decided that F1 was no longer an attractive option for him.
Alonso will take the place of Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has signed to join McLaren as replacement for the Ferrari-bound Carlos Sainz.
Renault did not confirm the exact length of Alonso's deal beyond saying that it is 'for the upcoming seasons'. Alonso has talked about having high ambitions for the 2022 campaign, when F1 embarks on a new rules era.
His return to Renault will be his third spell at the team. He originally joined the outfit as a test driver in 2002, before being promoted to a race seat the following year.
He won his first grand prix for the team in Hungary in 2003 and was central to its most successful campaigns in 2005 and 2006.
Following his title successes, Alonso quit to join McLaren in 2007 but his relationship there turned sour and he returned to Renault for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Although he won races, including a controversial one at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix when teammate Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed, the team could not deliver the title he was after.
Alonso subsequently moved to Ferrari from 2010 to 2014, before making a return to McLaren from 2015.
But his switch to McLaren failed to produce the kind of results he hoped for as he endured two difficult years with Honda-power prior to a final frustrating campaign with Renault engines as McLaren's car did not live up to expectations.
By the end of 2018, Alonso had grown tired of the demands of F1 and a lack of results, but his time away from it since then has given him new motivation to have one last assault.
His long-time manager Flavio Briatore said earlier this year that Alonso had been ‘detoxed’ by being away from F1 for a while.
Since leaving F1, Alonso has won the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota - including back-to-back victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours - and earlier this year competed in the Dakar Rally.for the Japanese manufacturer
He has also tried to win the Indianapolis 500 race, but failed to qualify last year although is having another attempt later this season.
Share Or Save This Story
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Cadillac loses maiden F1 point as Sergio Perez penalised
Aston Martin: ‘We definitely can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet’
Aston Martin's plans for F1 2026 after upgrade-free Miami
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
20 years ago, Michael Schumacher held off Fernando Alonso in Imola F1 duel
Romain Grosjean turns 40 – here’s his career in 10 key moments
Naomi Schiff spots major Charles Leclerc change after Monaco GP frustration
George Russell must beat Kimi Antonelli in Barcelona to save F1 title hopes, says David Coulthard
Denny Hamlin wanted to honor Kyle Busch's full history with Michigan flag
Road to Victory: Inside the fight to win at the highest level of endurance racing
What could drive McLaren to build its own F1 engine
No more naysayers, surely? How Monaco proved Kimi Antonelli's searing form wasn't just luck
Why Toto Wolff may need to try some distraction tactics
From “a new back” to the front row: What’s behind Max Verstappen’s surprise Monaco pace?
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments