F1 legend set to replace Renault's Daniel Ricciardo
Spain's two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso will return to the elite motorsport series next season with Renault, a report said Tuesday.
Alonso, 38, has signed a contract with the French team and will be confirmed "soon" according to the BBC.
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CONTROVERSY: Ricciardo explains F1 drivers' refusal to kneel
There is a vacancy coming up at Renault as a result of Australia's Daniel Ricciardo moving to McLaren next term.
Alonso would then return to the team, with whom he won world titles in 2005 and 2006, to partner Esteban Ocon.
Alonso is widely recognised as one of the best drivers of his generation. He last raced in F1 for McLaren in 2018 before pursuing other driving goals including the Indy 500, the 24 hours of Le Mans and the Dakar Rally.
Renault were reportedly considering their position in F1 but the signature of Alonso would suggest their commitment has been renewed.
They presently have only a mid-table car but budget caps have been lowered for the coming years due to the coronavirus crisis and technical changes will be made to the rules from 2022.
The F1 season continues behind closed doors with a second race in Spielberg, Austria.
Alonso's return further narrows the options available to Sebastian Vettel when he leaves Ferrari at the end of the season.
Germany's four-time world champion has said his future remains open and has not ruled out retirement if a suitable seat is not available.
Daniel Ricciardo explains drivers’ knee stance
Lewis Hamilton could continue to "take a knee" at Formula One races - saying he does not want the fight against racism to die a silent death - as Daniel Ricciardo reacted to the six drivers electing not to do so in Austria.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen were among six drivers who opted not to take a knee - although both posted messages before the grand prix saying they were committed in the fight against racism.
Ricciardo - who was among the 14 drivers along with Hamilton to take a knee before the opening race of the 2020 season - tried to explained why so many of his rivals may not have felt comfortable in taking a knee.
"The chat [on Friday] with the drivers was essentially saying all of us are 100 per cent on board with supporting it and ending racism. None of us our anti this, so we all support this," the Australian, who failed to finish the race at the Red Bull Ring, said.
"I just think there was a little bit of difficulty with some drivers and their nationality, and what something like taking a knee would represent.
"Obviously the reasons why we would do it is purely to support Black Lives Matter.
"It is for nothing political or anything else... We all understood that we will do what we feel comfortable with.
"But no one is going to be judged or criticised if they don't stand there in a certain way or take a knee."
