Fernando Alonso returned to the Formula 1 scene today, taking part in a test event in Abu Dhabi and notching up the fastest lap time of the day.
The Spaniard was behind the wheel of Renault's 2020 season RS20 car in a warm-up race for young drivers ahead of next year's campaign.
The two-time F1 world champion is due back on the grid at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 21st next year. Whether the Spaniard can recover his championship-winning form is yet to be seen, but his return to the cockpit of the RS25 this weekend did not go unnoticed, not least by current F1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton, who was delighted to hear his old rival putting the RS25 through its paces.
The Renault F1 team, which will be officially rebranded as Alpine F1 from January 1st, has been working with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for some weeks to arrange a test event, specifically for Alonso, who hasn't raced in F1 for two years. The event is designed to give young drivers the chance to improve and get miles on the clock in an F1 car, and there has been some controversy over the veteran Alonso's involvement.
Renault successfully lobbied to have Alonso included in the test, despite him being the second oldest driver after Kimi Raikkonen next season. Although the rules originally stated that drivers shouldn't have raced in more than two Grand Prix races in their careers, they have since been relaxed to allow Alonso, Robert Kubica and Sebastien Buemi, amongst others, to take part.
Michael Schumacher's son Mick is also there driving for Haas, who he will represent in F1 next season having made the step up from F2.
