Fernando Alonso is re-joining Renault “at a very good time”, according to compatriot Carlos Sainz, due to the team’s recent Formula 1 form.
Alonso stepped away from Formula 1 at the end of 2018, replaced at McLaren by Sainz, who moved across to the team after spending a year with Renault.
Renault, after a troubled 2019 campaign, returned to the podium at the Eifel Grand Prix and is in contention for third in the Constructors’ Championship.
Alonso will re-join Renault, which will rebrand as Alpine, for the 2021 campaign and recently returned to on-track action in the R.S.20.
“I actually think Renault, or Alpine, is doing a very good job right now,” said Sainz in an interview with MotorsportWeek.com.
“They’re definitely in the right direction after a tough year in 2019 and they look to have found the right path for developing their car and they are making our lives very difficult at McLaren.
“I think Fernando is joining Renault actually at a very good time after some difficult years and I think it is good news for the sport, for Formula 1. It’s just good news for everyone for him to be back.”
Alonso’s return to Renault was facilitated by Ricciardo opting to leave in order to replace Ferrari-bound Sainz at McLaren.
Sainz and McLaren both flourished after a tough 2018 and says he has little to look back on with frustration at the team.
“I cannot be regretting anything right now that is going on at McLaren,” he said.
“For sure I regret my Turn 2 at Russia and it is one of the only regrets!
“But apart from that honestly everything is going very well, I’m having a lot of fun in this team, I’m enjoying myself as a Formula 1 driver.
“I feel like it has extracted the best from me, and I’m trying to extract the maximum from the team.”
