Alonso to return to F1
LONDON: Twotime world champion Fernando Alonso is set to return to Formula One with Renault in 2021, the BBC reported yesterday.
Alonso, who left Formula One at the end of 2018 after a final season with McLaren, won his championship titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006.
The Spaniard (38) has made no secret of his desire to return to the Formula One grid, with the French manufacturer having a vacancy.
Alonso could join Frenchman Esteban Ocon and replace Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who is moving to McLaren at the end of the 2020 season.
‘‘I don’t know if he is going to join or not with us but definitely if he could come back here I’d be very happy,’’ Ocon said last week.
Ferrari is planning to speed up the introduction of upgrades to its underperforming Formula One car after a difficult seasonopening race in Austria on
Monday.
The Italian team had aimed to bring new parts to the July 19 Hungarian Grand Prix but said on it hoped to have some for next weekend’s Styrian Grand Prix at the same Austrian circuit.
‘‘The SF1000 [car] didn’t measure up, even compared to expectations ahead of the event,’’ Ferrari said on its website.
‘‘Because of this, development has already been going on at full pace for some time.
‘‘This is in the hope of bringing forward to next weekend the introduction of the aerodynamic package scheduled for the Hungarian Grand Prix or, at least, some of its components.’’
Ferrari said having two backtoback races at the same circuit allowed the upgrades to be checked more accurately.
Despite Charles Leclerc finishing second in Austria, the Monegasque was also lucky in a race with only 11 finishers and three safety car periods.
Teammate and fourtimes world champion Sebastian Vettel managed only 10th after qualifying 11th with Ferrari, more than a second off the pace of champion Mercedes. — Reuters