Alonso could test 2020 and 2018 Renault next week

2020 F1 season

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Fernando Alonso is expected to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car next week for the first time since announcing his 2021 comeback.

RaceFans understands Renault plans to run Alonso at the Circuit de Catalunya on Tuesday.

However the team did not confirm any details of the plans when asked by RaceFans at the Nurburgring today. “I cannot confirm,” said managing director Cyril Abiteboul. “It’s not a yes or a no.”

While in-season testing is tightly restricted in Formula 1, Renault have a number of options they can consider to give Alonso a run. This could include using one of their allocated filming days which would allow Alonso to drive their 2020 car, albeit over a limited distance and on demonstration tyres only.

The team also has the option of running its 2018 car as it did at the Red Bull Ring in June prior to the start of the season. This would allow Alonso to cover a greater mileage. They may even choose to do both.

Alonso visited the Renault factory last month for a seat fitting in preparation for his return to to Formula 1. He last drove an F1 car in April 2019, when he tested for his previous team McLaren in Bahrain.

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8 comments on “Alonso could test 2020 and 2018 Renault next week”

  1. As long as he doesn’t show up at the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi, it’s cool

  2. I really don’t know why he’s coming back, and quietly I wish he wasn’t. No denying Alonso’s a ‘great’ of the sport but coming back to barely challenge for a podium or the gamble ‘Alpine’ will come good in 2022 seems a bit worthless for a double world champion. I respect the man’s talents but I’m not keen on him – he seems to have an incredibly toxic atmosphere that follows him to every team, and frankly there are so many very good drivers available at the moment giving a seat to a guy that has already got two world titles and walked away for what seems like nothing more than a vanity run seems pointless.

    1. Name a better driver that Renault should have picked instead of Alonso. Also, I can’t wait to see the teammate head to head results at Renault next year :)

    2. @rocketpanda Toxic yes, but a great driver and competitor. I can’t wait to see what he can do in the Renault (Alpine).
      Disagree about there being so many good drivers ATM. F1 can hardly fill half a grid of them.

      1. I’m not sure that the toxicity is going to matter too much. As far as Alonso and Renault/Team Enstone, both are known quantities to one another. Guys like Alan Permane know how Alonso ticks, I think this is very important, and is quite the differentiator when comparing to Alonso’s last decade in F1. Sure, Alonso is one of the drivers that cultivate his surrounding to suit him, but thats overly different to any other top line racing driver.

        Having watch his doco on Amazon, it does appear that he has toned down a fair bit, seemed to be a very willing team player at Toyota (WEC and Dakar). This could also be a factor in this stint at Renault, people can change, but perhaps a leopard can’t hide its spots?

        As for better drivers, I think you’d be hard pressed to find many better drivers who have proven track records and can come in and push the car and team to its max potential.

  3. Agree he is going to be on much better behaviour and the team will provide for him better too. Especially now that the car is getting competitive everything will surely be fine, at least for a while.

  4. Sameer Cader (@)
    12th October 2020, 9:34

    Hopefully he gets a couple of practice outings this year so we can see Nando back in action even sooner!

    Viva Fernando Alonso!

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