Alpine has put questions over Fernando Alonso’s immediate future beyond doubt by confirming he will continue to drive for the team next year.
Alonso returned to Formula 1 this year in what was understood to be a two-season deal to drive for the team. However the team today described his continuation into 2022 as a “contract extension”.While Alonso was widely expected to remain with the team in 2022, the team went to unusual lengths to promote the announcement on social media. Alonso and team mate Esteban Ocon exchanged coded messages on Twitter yesterday teasing a major announcement.
Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi described the combination of Alonso and Ocon as “a perfect driver line-up, amongst the strongest on the grid.”
“Fernando has impressed us all since he returned to the sport at the beginning of this year,” Rossi added. “His dedication, teamwork and focus to extract the maximum from the team is incredible to be a part of and certainly special to witness.
“His performance in Hungary was another example of his racing pedigree and reminded everyone how skilled a driver he is. I am convinced we can benefit strongly from Fernando’s insight and experience as we enter the final development and optimisation phase of the 2022 chassis and power unit. He is just as hungry as we are for success and is putting in every effort to translate it to performance.”
The two-time world champion made his comeback to the sport after two years driving in the World Endurance Championship, following his retirement from McLaren at the end of the 2018 season. He also contested the Dakar Rally and Indianapolis 500.
Alonso rejoined the Renault team, with whom he won both his world championships in 2005 and 2006. It rebranded as Alpine during the off-season.
The team announced a contract extension for Ocon earlier this year which keeps him at the team until 2024. At the last round in Hungary Ocon scored the team’s first win since Renault revived its outfit five years ago.
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bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
26th August 2021, 9:49
“a perfect driver line-up, amongst the strongest on the grid.” Is a bit contradictory, it can’t really be ‘perfect’ and not be the best on the current grid. Nitpicking aside, I have to say i’m mildly impressed that he still has it to compete with drivers half his age, and with the obvious benefits he brings outside of the cockpit it seems a no-brainer for Alpine really.
Anon
26th August 2021, 9:59
Sure it can be, you might choose better drivers if you had the option, but options are limited. Else every team bar none would be driving Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as their driver pairing.
rodewulf (@rodewulf)
26th August 2021, 15:13
Anon
Just because these guys race in fast cars? What a joke, especially considering the blunders your idol has been making on track recently.
Aapje (@aapje)
26th August 2021, 10:15
@bernasaurus
Not if they are also judging it by financial costs/benefits. Their line-up probably offers the best value.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
26th August 2021, 10:18
@aapje Yeah, you’re right, it just isn’t the way I’d word it, doesn’t sound particularly competitive.
ajpennypacker (@ajpennypacker)
26th August 2021, 16:36
It’s only impressive if you haven’t been watching Alonso too closely since he left F1. His 2018 season in F1 was frankly one of his best. Then he was racing the entire time he was gone, and winning at that. I was actually dissapointed at first when it was taking him a few races to get up to speed.
Bitten&Hisses (@al-perry)
26th August 2021, 9:55
“Contract extension” = When Alonso get bored or slow, he’ll be Alpine driver in WEC.
Alberto
26th August 2021, 9:56
If Ocon doesn’t start to dominate him as time pass by they should get two new drivers by the time he retires. No doubt Alonso is one of the best but at 41 if he is still keeping up with his team mate in the points I think there is something not right.
rodewulf (@rodewulf)
26th August 2021, 15:23
Alberto
Nah, age is not such a death sentence for performance, don’t overreact. You can’t conclude Ocon’s performance has been good once again against Alonso just because of your preconceived ideas.
someone or something
26th August 2021, 10:12
Silly article. You can’t confirm Alonso, Alonso confirms you.
Ross (@dejavous)
26th August 2021, 10:40
Haha
ForzaAlonsoF1
26th August 2021, 13:11
That made me laugh!!
Jere (@jerejj)
26th August 2021, 10:20
Yes, he reportedly joined on a two-year deal, which eventually proved to be 1+1 form rather than a straight one.
Anyway, I always considered him as a 2022 Alpine driver in all scenarios.
Ki Chi (@kichi-leung)
26th August 2021, 11:10
What about the Renault young drivers? No room in F1 for Lundgaard and Zhou?
TFLB (@tflb)
26th August 2021, 11:22
@kichi-leung Perhaps Lundgaard will move over to IndyCar to avoid going stale in F2 – he’s good enough for F1 but has had ridiculously bad luck in F2 this year. As for Zhou, I can see him at Alfa next year actually. Probably I’m wrong.
Bitten&Hisses (@al-perry)
26th August 2021, 11:26
Forget about them. Piastri is the next big thing! The only one who become a F1 driver
Sviat
26th August 2021, 11:23
Next year will be the last for Alonso. At 41 years, he won’t be fast. He has already lost a couple of tenths. Also, Alpine will be in the same position as always: fighting for the top 10 with 0 chance for a WCC or WDC.
If the same team was building slow cars for 10 years in a row, they will still build a slow car even if they spend on it twice the time they usually spend on development. The great engineers are at Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren. Plus Renault is going to redesign their power unit… Ugh, with their reliability I expect they’ll need at least 6 engines per driver next year.
Nandy
26th August 2021, 13:23
Won’t be fast?
He’s still probably only second to Max in overall speed, with his race craft being THE best in the field.
He’s certainly not going to lose that in less than a year!
Balue (@balue)
26th August 2021, 14:54
Biggest non-news story of the week