Spielberg bei Knittelfeld (Austria) (AFP)

"The more" top drivers "we have, the better it is for our sport": like six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 grid was delighted on Thursday with Fernando Alonso's return to Renault next season.

To those who are worried that after two sabbaticals since the end of 2018, the Spaniard takes the place of younger talents, George Russell, 22, replied that he was "quite satisfied with this return".

"F1 is the best driver and it is one of the best. The choice of Renault makes perfect sense," said the Briton of Williams at a press conference before the scheduled Styria Grand Prix. Sunday.

"It's fantastic that he joins the team," also welcomed his future teammate Esteban Ocon. "He is very motivated and very experienced and can do this to improve the car."

"Fernando is very motivated to come back and advance our project. I am sure that our collaboration will be good," added the Frenchman, asked about the sometimes shady character of the Spaniard.

Another question surrounding this highly publicized return concerns the age of Alonso, who will be 39 on July 29.

"It's just a number. Honestly, I haven't felt very different in recent years," said Finnish Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo Racing), 2007 world champion and dean of the grid at 40 years old. "I don't think there is an age limit. It's different for everyone."

"I don't think Fernando has slowed down with age," said Australian Daniel Ricciardo, whom the Spaniard will replace at Renault next year. "His car didn't allow him to achieve great results but did he get the best of it? It's pretty obvious that he did."

Hamilton remembered that when he returned to F1 in 2010 with Mercedes, after a three-year hiatus, the seven-time German world champion Michael Schumacher was not physically diminished. "I'm sure it will be the same for Fernando," said the Briton from Mercedes.

The return of Alonso, double world champion 2005 and 2006, in the queen category of motorsport, within the team with which he had his greatest successes, was announced on Wednesday.

During his two years away from F1 paddocks, in 2019 and 2020, the Spaniard won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, became world endurance champion, participated in the Dakar rally, finished in 13th position, but also missed qualification for the Indianapolis 500 Miles.

After an inaugural Grand Prix delayed by more than three months disputed last week in Austria, a second race, called Styria GP (from the name of the region where it is held), will take place on Sunday on the same circuit, the Red Bull Ring from Spielberg.

© 2020 AFP