FORMULA ONE

• Renault signs Alonso

  
  

  London, England (Sports Network) - Apparently Thomas Wolfe was wrong - you can go home again as two-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso has returned to the Renault team where he won both of his F1 driver championships.

  The Spaniard signed a two-year deal after one tumultuous season with McLaren- Mercedes.

  It is rumored to be a $51.1 million deal, however Renault would not confirm the numbers.

  "I am very excited about working with this great team once more, and confident that together we can move back to the front of the field," said Alonso.

  "Renault had a difficult year in 2007, but I know that the team has real strength in depth. I am confident they can produce a fast and competitive car and be back at the top in 2008." Alonso, 26, won back-to-back titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006.

  With questions as to whether Renault would stay in the series, he jumped to McLaren Mercedes in 2007.

  But things didn't work out well at McLaren as he quickly became the secondary story behind a great year from rookie Lewis Hamilton. Alonso thought the team should have been more supportive and he and Hamilton rarely talked.

  When the McLaren team was found to have illegally received pages and pages of Ferrari race car information, Alonso testified that he knew they had the data. After the testimony, subsequent $100 million fine and suspension from the manufacturers championship, team boss Ron Dennis and Alonso had a falling out.

  Alonso finished the season with four wins and a tie for second place with Hamilton, one point behind Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

  After the season Alonso and McLaren parted company and Renault boss Flavio Briatore offered the two-time champion a drive for 2008.

  Alonso will team up with Nelson Piquet Jr., the team's test driver and son of F1 great Nelson Piquet.

  12/10 15:50:20 ET