Fernando Alonso during his participation in the last Dakar, January 3, 2020 in Jiddah, in Saudi Arabia. - Bernat Armangue / AP / SIPA

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso will return to the top category of motorsport with Renault "from the 2021 season", after two years of absence, the team confirmed in a press release on Wednesday.

The duration of Alonso's contract, which will be 39 years old on July 29, is not specified. It is only indicated that he "joined Renault DP World F1 Team for the next seasons". The Spaniard therefore returns to where he won his two world champion titles in 2005 and 2006. His inglorious withdrawal at the end of 2018, after a series of disastrous campaigns at McLaren, did not taste like an epilogue.

OFFICIAL NEWS

🏁 Fernando Alonso joins Renault DP World F1 Team 🏁
Renault DP World F1 Team is pleased to confirm Fernando Alonso alongside Esteban Ocon in its driver line-up for the 2021 season.

👉 https://t.co/yjnnGHh8Yb #RSspirit @alo_oficial @OconEsteban pic.twitter.com/Qe0WfBazzN

- Renault F1 Team (@ RenaultF1Team) July 8, 2020

By participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Dakar and the 500 Miles of Indianapolis, in recent years, the Iberian had proven that his love for motor racing was still there. And the desire to find F1 too. He still had to find a steering wheel. Placed by rumor at Red Bull then at Ferrari, it will finally be welcomed by Renault, for a very media reunion.

"The strength of the bond between him, the team and the fans makes it a natural choice," explains his future boss Cyril Abiteboul. Beyond past successes (pilot and manufacturer titles in 2005 and 2006), it is a daring mutual choice as well as a project to write the future. He will also bring to our team, which has experienced very rapid growth (since his return to F1 in 2016), a culture of racing and winning to overcome obstacles together. "

“The team wants and has the means to find the podiums, too. "

For the native of Oviedo, Renault certainly does not offer as many chances of immediate success as Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari, but the manufacturer announced in May that he would stay in F1 in the long term with the aim of returning to the highest step of the podium.

"Renault is my family, those are my best memories in Formula 1 with my two world champion titles, but I'm looking forward," said Alonso. I have convictions and ambitions in line with the stable project. Their progress this winter gives credibility to the objectives of the 2022 season, and for my part, I will bring all my racing experience to share it with everyone, engineers, mechanics, teammates. The team wants and has the means to find the podiums, too. "

“Renault is my family, my fondest memories in Formula One with my two World Championship titles, but I'm now looking ahead. It's a great source of pride and with an immense emotion I'm returning to the team [...] "- @alo_oficial #RSspirit pic.twitter.com/H9tUKpr4OI

- Renault F1 Team (@ RenaultF1Team) July 8, 2020

With 17 victories between 2003 and 2008 and the titles of world champion in 2005 and 2006, Alonso knows that the French brand is capable of it, especially with a new financial regulation for F1 in 2021, which could level the gaps. Renowned for his sometimes shady character, Alonso is considered one of the best pilots of his generation, who could have won far more than two titles.

A difficult year at McLaren in 2007 alongside a Lewis Hamilton on the rise, then five other frustrating ones at Ferrari before an inconclusive return to McLaren then in full decline, barely damaged its reputation.

Fernando Alonso, motor racing marathoner

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