According to the latest reports, Fernando Alonso could be joining Renault in 2021. With Daniel Ricciardo leaving the team next season, Renault desperately needs a top driver to fill Ricciardo’s shoes. News from the rumor mill suggests a certain double World Champion is more than interested.
Renault’s driver problem
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know by now that a lot happened in the F1 world yesterday. Daniel Ricciardo will be joining McLaren in 2021 to replace the departing Carlos Sainz. As for Sainz, he’s headed to Ferrari next season to partner Charles Leclerc. Ferrari and McLaren have plenty to look forward to but Renault does not.
In the aftermath of all these driver transfers, Renault ended up as the big loser. Not only did the team lose its “star driver”, but they also have a very uncertain future ahead. Team principal Cyril Abiteboul always hailed Ricciardo as the team’s future. Renault spent a lot of money and resources in getting Daniel onboard and after just one bad season, he’s leaving.
Ricciardo’s shortened stint with Renault turned out to be a very expensive misadventure. However, they can still right their wrongs with a few tactical decisions. According to Spanish publication Marca, Renault is close to finalizing a deal with Alonso for next year.
Apparently, Renault and Fernando Alonso are very close to reaching an agreement for a 2021 deal. Alonso’s experienced, a former World Champion, and a fantastic driver. Not to mention his history with Renault.
Is Fernando Alonso close to an F1 return?
Fernando’s always made it clear that he was open to an F1 return and Renault could make his wish come true. Keep in mind, this would be Alonso’s third stint with the Enstone outfit. It would be an emotional return for Alonso, to make his F1 comeback, with the team that powered him to both his Championships.
Unfortunately, the Renault of today is radically different from the French team that Alonso’s used to. But if Alonso’s ready to rebuild the team, there’s no reason why Renault must look anywhere else. However, Renault must also consider Fernando’s wages, which is significantly larger than Ricciardo’s ask.
Alonso was earning close to $30M while driving for McLaren and is unlikely to consider a massive pay cut. Allegedly, Renault has reached some form of an agreement with Liberty Media to foot a part of Alonso’s salary.
Yep, the news seems too good to be true but then again F1 is a chaotic circus. Will Renault announce Alonso for 2021? For now, we can only wait and watch.
