Fernando Alonso will be making his return to Formula 1 by the start of next season. Like every other driver, one might assume that Alonso’s focus would be entirely on securing his 3rd title before retiring from F1 altogether.

However, the Spaniard revealed he is not re-entering the sport with any specific targets. “I don’t think I will target a certain result before I stop,” he said.

Alonso will be starting his outing in Renault with only one possible objective in his mind – helping his team beat the mid-field and take their fight to Mercedes and Red Bull, at least by 2022.

Stopwatch will decide when I stop: Fernando Alonso

The two-time world champion opened up that his level of competitiveness will decide his future in Formula 1 beyond the proposed 2022 season.

“I think in motorsport, the stopwatch tells you when it is time to stop, not the age,” he told SkySport F1. “I hope the stopwatch is on my side.”

As of now, it is quite uncertain how Alonso would fare over the 2021 season since he has been out of the sport for some time now. If he manages to regain his old form before the start of next season, then he is most likely going to give a tough fight to his rivals.

“The simulator is good until a certain point. But then you need the physical effort of the car, the G-forces, the training of the neck. I need as many laps as possible,” Alonso said.

Ever since the Renault signing, Alonso has been hungry for more time in the car before setting his foot into the 2021 season.

Can Alonso see himself on the podium next season?

Although seeing Alonso lifting his 3rd championship trophy is a tough ask, there could still be a faint chance of that happening in the near future.

Tthe chances of witnessing Alonso back on the podium are bright at the moment. Renault are growing stronger and stronger each day and could well be in contention for frequent podiums over the next season.

Also, with a driver like Alonso in their team, Renault will hope to obtain enough data inputs to develop the car even further and raise their game to the next level.

Hence, the scenario of Fernando Alonso enjoying the champagne showers on the podium ceremony is more than achievable, if not by next season, then at least by 2022.