Alonso laughs off rumours he’s to replace Ricciardo

Fernando Alonso has laughed off a report that he has agreed terms with Renault and will replace Daniel Ricciardo in the coming days.

Sebastian Vettel triggered Formula 1’s 2021 driver market back in May when he announced that he would be leaving Ferrari.

However, instead of making a straight swap with Carlos Sainz for the McLaren seat, Ricciardo swooped in and snapped up Sainz’s drive leaving Renault a man short for 2021.

Renault’s managing director Cyril Abiteboul made it clear that he wasn’t happy with the Aussie’s defection, questioning Ricciardo’s loyalty.

Almost immediately F1’s rumour mill had Alonso taking Ricciardo’s seat and, almost two months later, those rumours refuse to die down.

In fact the date for his arrival has even been pushed up.

Earlier this week Cadena SER journalist José Antonio Ponseti claimed that Alonso had agreed terms to race for Renault, adding that he could make his comeback during this year’s championship.

According to Ponseti, ‘the agreement between the two parties is going to be announced in the coming days’ with his arrival dependant on ‘Renault’s relationship with Ricciardo’.

He added that Renault wants ‘the Australian to leave the team but it will be necessary to see when and on what terms’.

But while Alonso would not be racing for Renault at the season-opening Austrian GP, the plan is to make sure his comeback happens ‘as soon as possible’.

Alonso has laughed off the report after a fan on social media asked him what exactly was going on with the rumours.

“Man, at noon they said a team had said no to Alonso,” Alonso tweeted. “At night I will race in in that same team in 2020.

“I will tell you and inform you that I am going to run the 500 miles.

“I think you have to consider who laughs at you but I will be here when I have something to report.”

For now the Spaniard is training for the Indianapolis 500, the only part of the Triple Crown that he is missing.

Earlier this year Alonso told the world that he “more or less” decided what he will be doing in 2021 but gave no indication that Formula 1 was on his list.

“I know more or less what I’m going to do in 2021, I hope you know soon, but I can’t say more,” El Mundo quotes him as having told the Le Mans’ Instagram page.

Source: planetf1.com