Alonso says Renault F1 test felt "amazing"

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VIDEO SHOWS: FOOTAGE OF DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPION FERNANDO ALONSO TESTING LATEST RENAULT F1 CAR IN BARCELONA / SOUNDBITES FROM ALONSO ON TEST AND JOINING RENAULT

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT

SHOWS: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 13, 2020) (RENAULT HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL)

1. DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPION, FERNANDO ALONSO, WEARING MASK AND SUNGLASSES IN RENAULT GARAGE

2. RENAULT RS20 CAR IN GARAGE

3. ALONSO SUITING UP FOR TEST

4. VARIOUS OF ALONSO SITTING IN CAR BEFORE PULLING OUT FOR TEST (THREE SHOTS)

5. ALONSO REVVING ENGINE

6. ALONSO PULLING OUT OF GARAGE

7. ON-BOARD CAMERA OF START OF TEST, ALONSO TAKING TRACK AND MAKING SEVERAL TURNS

8. VARIOUS OF ALONSO ON TRACK DURING TEST (FIVE SHOTS)

9. (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF ALONSO DURING TEST (TWO SHOTS)

10. ALONSO PULLING INTO PITS AFTER TEST

11. CREW

12. CREW BACKING ALONSO INTO GARAGE

13. ALONSO GETTING OUT OF CAR AFTER TEST

14. ALONSO IN GARAGE TALKING WITH TEAM MEMBER

15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FERNANDO ALONSO, ON HOW TEST FELT, SAYING:

"It felt amazing. I think being able to drive these cars after two years and feeling the speed again and how everything comes so fast, corner after corner, the performance on breaking. You know, all the things that Formula One has. To live it once again, I think it was a very nice day."

16. (MUTE) VARIOUS SHOTS OF DRONE CIRCLING ALONSO AS HE WALKS TOWARDS RENAULT CAR (THREE SHOTS)

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FERNANDO ALONSO, ON THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE, SAYING:

"Well, I think the car was a nice surprise. We know that the car is performing well in the last couple of races. So, you know, I felt a good grip, good potential on it. Also, the engine, the last time I drove the Renault engine was 2018 and I think the step forward is quite important there. So, you know, everything felt good. And maybe I was not able to maximize the performance of the car because I'm not up to speed yet, but happy with the day."

18. (MUTE) ALONSO WALKING TOWARD CAMERA WITH CAR IN THE BACKGROUND

19. (MUTE) CLOSER SHOT OF ALONSO WALKING TOWARDS CAMERA WITH CAR IN THE BACKGROUND

20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FERNANDO ALONSO, ON FEELING AT HOME WITH RENAULT, SAYING:

"Yeah I feel at home already, from day one. You know, there is this atmosphere at Enstone and in this team that everything is so simple, so logical. Everything they do in the team that - I'm very comfortable here with Renault and a lot of the people that I worked with today, half of the mechanics, more or less, they were already in the team in my days. So you know, when you know the faces, when you know the team, everything becomes a little bit easier."

21. (MUTE) ALONSO SMILING

22. (MUTE) ALONSO POSING FOR CAMERA

STORY: Double world champion Fernando Alonso said he was already feeling at home with Renault after testing the latest Renault Formula One car in Barcelona on Tuesday (October 13).

The Spaniard, a two-times Le Mans 24 Hours winner, has not competed in a grand prix since he left McLaren at the end of 2018 but is returning next year as replacement for departing Australian Daniel Ricciardo.

The test in the RS20 car came 20 years after Alonso first tested with Benetton -- the team that then became Renault -- at the same circuit.

Alonso said preparing for the limited mileage outing had been complicated by COVID-19 restrictions, with fewer days in the simulator to adjust, but the run was worth it.

The 39-year-old said it felt "amazing" to be behind the wheel of an F1 car again.

The Spaniard, who won his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, has competed in the Dakar Rally and Indianapolis 500 since he was last in Formula One.

(Production: Kurt Michael Hall)