Alpine, between doubts and hope: this has been the year within Alonso's team

• The keys in Qatar A vertigo overtaking and a devastating pace

• Fast lap A podium as part of 'The Plan'

• 105 races later Champagne for Alonso: "I've been waiting for it for so long!"

• Crónica Alonso goes up to the podium of Losail

• World Cup 2021 The pulse between Verstappen and Hamilton

On a day like today, three years ago,

started his last weekend with McLaren in Abu Dhabi, from where he would say goodbye with that premonitory "See you later." Just less than 12 months ago, the luxurious hotel in Yas Marina also witnessed the Asturian's first test with Renault, who will return there in three weeks with renewed vigor at the wheel of his Alpine. Abu Dhabi will close the 2021 World Cup and open a door through which F1 enters the regulatory revolution. An unknown and exciting terrain for Alonso, who in three years has not only made his return to the Great Circus, but also outlined the new direction of his team, with which he aspires to fight for victories from 2022.

After linking three weekends in Mexico, Brazil and Qatar, Alonso returned home yesterday with the satisfaction of his duty accomplished. As much as no one within Alpine will have that podium at Losail, the truth is that success reinforces the commitment of

, CEO of the team, and

, CEO. The rumors that point to the departure of

, the man who completes his three-headed dome, matter little now. The climate of the garage is one of the factors that has most convinced Alonso.

"What we do on the track is a product of the environment that exists in there,"

commented yesterday

after completing an impeccable job in front of Sergio Pérez.

"I wanted to return the favor he had done me in Hungary," added the Frenchman, recalling those 12 laps in which Fernando stopped

.

After a hesitant start to the course, the exhibition at the Hungaroring, precisely on the weekend of his 40th birthday, was Alonso's fist on the table.

Despite having an engine seven tenths slower than Mercedes and half a second worse than Red Bull, the Spaniard also approached the battle for the podium in Sochi and Istanbul.

300 engineers

In any case, it would be wrong to paint the Alpine season in colors, a personal project by

. The CEO plenipotentiary of the Renault Group, who reports directly to Rossi, has had to face more than one crisis in this restructuring process. The latter seems to affect Brivio, who could be replaced in the coming weeks by

, current Aston Martin boss. Another one of them took ahead to

, head of the engine department. After more than two decades in the team, Alonso's friend left a project in August without the expected financial support.

And it is that for months, all the efforts in the factories have been focused towards 2022, with an idea that seems more like an obsession: to concentrate all the resources, both economic and human, on the new car. With 300 engineers, some newcomers, it will not be easy to narrow the gap against Mercedes, which has 1,000 brains on the payroll. Although to try it will eliminate, without hesitation, any superfluous expense. For example, Alpine has given up its HyperCar for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023, the centenary year of the legendary race.

Alonso, used to following every day-to-day detail in Enstone and Viry-Chatillon, continues to trust the word given by De Meo, the real person responsible for his signing, who called him personally to convince him even despite the delay of a year in the change of rules.

The two-time champion feels that he was not wrong and that the current fifth place in the Constructors' World Championship, in a tough contest with Alpha Tauri, only represents a starting point for Alpine.

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