Alonso back at Renault… if Renault continues in F1?​

The name of the double Spanish world champion comes back insistently to replace Daniel Ricciardo, leaving for McLaren.

Renault found himself very deprived when the last domino of the transfer market fell. At first glance, the French manufacturer appears to be the loser in the chain reaction caused by the non-renewal of the contract. Sebastian Vettel in Ferrari last Tuesday.

In just 48 hours, Carlos Sainz has been confirmed as the German's replacement in Maranello, while the seat McLaren of the Spaniard will be occupied next year by Daniel Ricciardo, leaving for Woking with a multi-year contract in his pocket.

His current employer has not failed to react quite bitterly to the departure of the Australian and now finds himself having to find a successor to support him Esteban Ocon next year.

Among the possible candidates, one name quickly stood out: that of the former darling Fernando Alonso, whose two world titles were acquired with Renault in 2005 and 2006. The Bull of Asturias has already made a first return toenstone and Viry-Châtillon in 2008-2009 after an express and stormy stint under the McLaren colors in 2007.

Since his (first?) retirement F1 At the end of the 2018 season, Alonso has often repeated that he is keeping an eye on the 2021 technical revolution (now postponed to 2022), with the idea of ​​making a comeback within a team capable of giving him the equipment to even to win a third title that he ardently covets.  

But the return of the native of Oviedo to Renault would also depend on the possibility of the French manufacturer maintaining an F1 program at a time when the COVID-19 crisis is further weighing down accounts that were already not brilliant.

The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire recently confirmed that the State, a 15% shareholder in the Renault group, was considering a guaranteed loan of 5 billion to help this flagship of national industry. In such a context, an activity like F1 can seem particularly frivolous, especially in terms of image. Not to mention the emoluments requested by Alonso, even if the Spaniard, who won twice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota since his departure from the paddocks, is undoubtedly no longer in a position of strength as much as before.

The interview we had with Cyril Abiteboul last month seemed to rule out a hasty withdrawal of the Diamond from F1 since the main French team mentioned objectives and a roadmap simply postponed to 2022. But the previous economic crisis in 2008 showed that the major automobile groups did not hesitate to pull the plug in the event of a firestorm.

Bringing back Alonso, who turns 40 next year, would not be without risk. We think of his uncompromising personality, his two-season F1 leave, or even cohabitation with a young wolf like Ocon. But it is undoubtedly the sexiest option to present to the board Renault to justify Losange's investments in the premier category.

At the beginning of May, the Spaniard confided during a live Instagram with the organizers of Le Mans that his 2021 plans were more or less decided and that he would reveal them soon. Given the speed of the succession of announcements on the F1 transfer market, did Renault and Alonso already know that Ricciardo would not return to yellow and black in 2021? The Iberian's words would then take on a completely different meaning and the French manufacturer would ultimately not be so deprived...