Fernando Alonso has made his debut behind the wheeꦺl of Alpine’s 2021 Formula 1ꦍ car, the A521, on the second morning of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

The returning two-time world champion is driving for the new-look Alpine team on the second ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚday of winter testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, after teammate Esteban Ocon logged 129 laps on a strong opening day for the Enstone-base🍌d squad.

Following its rebrand from Renault, Alpine’s new-look 2021 car features a striking blue, red and white livery, as well ඣas an eye-catching, bulbous airbox and enginꦆe cover design.

Alonso revealed on the first day of pre-season testing t𒅌hat he will race with titanium plates iღn his jaw throughout the 2021 F1 season before he has further surgery at the end of the year after breaking it in a cycling accident last month.

Speaking about his desire to return to F1 on Friday, Alonso said: “I think the main thing or why I’m here and cam👍e back is because I felt that I was at my best in the last couple of years, in the last c👍ouple of months.

“I felt that I w꧙as driving better than ever and I had to make a decision on what was the next challenge afte🌊r Le Mans, Indy, Dakar - all of the things that I’ve tried.

“I thought being at my best now, maybe F𒀰ormula 1 was the place to be and I have time in the future to rethink some of the challenges that were not comp🅠leted. So that was the main thing, I felt that I had something to do here again.

“To win rac🥂es, to win championships, I think you need a few more things than just your motivaꦗtion or beliefs,” he added. “You need the package, you need the luck, you need the momentum.

“It’s something that we want to build with the new Alpine n꧋ame and the team. So I cannot guarantee that, but we will  fight for those wins and those championships in the future if we do the things that we have in our heads. But we are not racing alone.”