'If Ricciardo can make it to the podium, then Alonso can win races!'
- GPblog.com
After a short sabbatical, Fernando Alonso will return to Formula 1 with Alpine F1 next season. According to insiders, the Spaniard has it in him to make his first year back in the sport very successful.
Fernando Alonso's return to the royal class of motorsport is good news not only for the driver himself, but also for the whole of Spain. "There are only three athletes who are worshipped by everyone in Spain: Rafael Nadal, Pau Gasol and Fernando Alonso. We all dream that he will be a champion again," said GT driver Lucas Ordonez in the documentary 'Alonso returns, the boss returns 2021'.
According to former F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa, the Spaniard has meant a lot to Formula 1 in his homeland. "It was sad before Alonso. People were indifferent because there was no Spaniard who won. People got to know me through Alonso. He made it better for all of us and all he cares about is winning. That's what makes him so special," de la Rosa explains.
Always a show with Alonso
In Spain, expectations are high when it comes to the return of Fernando Alonso in Formula 1. "With Fernando there is always a show. If he has a car that can come in fifth or sixth place, he will get podiums. If he has a car that can reach podiums, he will win races. In 2020, Ricciardo had podiums with Renault, so Fernando can win races," concludes Adrian Campos, former Formula 1 driver and manager of Alonso.
One person even thinks that the Spaniard can show even more during his new stint in Formula 1. "He is getting ready for the top again. That is what we are hoping for," concluded José Luis Santamaría, the director of the Circuit de Catalunya.