It wasn’t all plain-sailing for Fern🃏ando Alonso on his return to Formula 1 in 2021 as he initially struggled to adapt 🐠to life with Alpine.

Recovering from a broken jaw after a pre-season cycling accident and very limited testing time meant Al⭕onso was always going to find it difficult in the first part of the season.

Adaptation proved to be tricky, even for a driver of Alonso’s calibre, who is notor🍸ious for getting the most out of any car he drive♛s.

Alonso spentಌ two years away from F1 after leaving McLaren at the end of 2018 - winning the World Endurance Championship, which included a couple of wins at Le Mans, the Dakar Rally, while also racing in the Indianapolis 500.

The two-time F1 champion maintained his ultra-competitive edge during his tim🐽e away but F1 is a unique challenge and it’s the pinnacle of motorsport for a🌠 reason.

Alonso struggled in the opening part of the season as Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon - who faced similar adaption issues of his own in 2020 alongside Daniel Ricciardo after a year away - finished ahead of him on track at each of the first fou💖r rounds.

Alonso said it was always going to take time and by the time we arrived in Azerbaijan, we saw a glimpse of that opportunistic brill💛iance that we've grown to love over the years.

Starting in 10th place at the restart after the red flag for Max Verstappen’s tyre fai💫lure, Alonso moved up to sixth in what was a s🃏ensational couple of final laps for the Spaniard.

The momentum continued into the next run of races as he scored points in France and bo༺th rounds at the Red Bull Ring.

Alonso put on another Lap 1 m🌠asterclass in the Silverstone sprint race - charging from 11𝓰th up to fifth.

His outstanding racecraft continued and was on display at the Hungarian Grand Prix, defending from the fast-charging Lewis Hamilton - crucially, it was Alonso’s defending t⛎hat hande🐎d Esteban Ocon the victory and the Enstone-based team’s first since 2013.

Alonso has often been criticised throughout his career for not being a team player or being difꦛficult to work with, but it was clear on his re🍒turn to the sport, he was willing to do so and had built up a strong relationship with Ocon.

The duo’s consistency allowed it to maintain fifth in the championship ahead of AlphaTauri, who continued to underperform mainly due to Yꦍuki Tsunoda’s struggles in the first two-thirds of the season.

Alonso's form continued to be impressive in the second half of th💎e year and was on course🥂 to return to the podium in Sochi, even overtaking eventual 2021 F1 world champion Max Verstappen.

But unfortunately, like several of his rivals, Alonso didn't pit for intermediates at the right ꦐtime, dropping to sixth.

He wouldn't have to wait much longer forꦺ his chance of a podium as he returned to the rostrum in Qatar.

On the risky one-stop strategy, Alonso fended off Perez in the closing laps to finish on the♉ podium for the first time since 2ꦬ014.

His consistent form in t💙he second half of the year meant that Alonso secured 10th in the drivers’ championship after finishing eighth a꧙t the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

After a tricky start to the season, Alonso 🙈quickly showed that he still is one of the very best in F1 with hi🅺s superb wheel-to-wheel ability and race day performances.

Alonso and Ocon were one of the most evenly matched teammates on the grid (11-10 in Alonso’s favour in the races; 11-11 in qualifying), which is testament to the Frenchman’s level of performance🌟 throughout the year.

Alonso will hope to have a bigger advantage over his teammate should ‘El Plan’ come into fruition in 2022 but it’s🐽 fair to say his comeback - at least so far - has been a success.

Come back tomorrow to find out who sits at #6 on our list