Fernando Alonso can race for Alpine for life, according to the French carmaker's CEO Laurent Rossi.

Spaniard Alonso, 40, returned to Formula 1 this year with the Renault-owned team, more than a decade after his back-to-back titles for the Enstone based works outfit.

What is clear is that Rossi is more than happy with the two-time champion.

"Fernando is more than a Renault driver," he told Soy Motor. "He is one of the Renault Group's key motorsport people.

"He is very valuable to us and we talk a lot and about many things."

At the heart of Alonso's involvement, of course, is his work in the cockpit - and Rossi clearly wants him to stay there for a long time.

"It is very likely that he will continue in the competition area with us. We want that.

"For me, he is one of the best in the sport and at Renault, so it makes sense for us to keep him in this area. I think the feeling is mutual."

Rossi admits that Alpine is considering whether to return to Le Mans, where Alonso won in 2018 and 2019.

"The decision will be in the next few months or even weeks," said the Alpine CEO. "But 2022 would be a little early."

He said a return to Le Mans for Alonso is therefore quite possible in the future.

"Fernando is a great driver and he can drive anything. We have already talked about this," he said.

"As long as he is comfortable in Formula 1, he will still be there and we will all be happy. But when he decides the day has come, he will always have the option to continue racing within Groupe Renault.

"If we are in world endurance, we will find him a seat." body check tags ::