( CNN ) Formula One star Fernando Alonso returned to work at McLaren on Wednesday following his freak accident in winter testing . The Spanish double world champion was ruled out of the opening race in Australia by doctors treating him for the effects of a high speed crash . Alonso has been training hard for his planned comeback at the Malaysian Grand Prix in nine days ' time and used the McLaren simulator to hone his mental preparations . The CNN-sponsored team announced the news on Twitter , showing McLaren sporting director Eric Boullier and Alonso at the team 's headquarters in Woking , England . Alonso was concussed and airlifted to hospital after losing control of his McLaren at the penultimate winter test at Barcelona 's Circuit de Catalunya on February 22 . The 33-year-old watched the Melbourne race from his home in Dubai after doctors indicated returning to racing three weeks after a high impact was too risky . McLaren had explained that Alonso 's `` accident was caused by the unpredictably gusty winds at that part of the circuit at that time . '' After getting back to race preparation in the simulator , McLaren tweeted that it had been a good day for Alonso , `` focusing on operational work and practicing qualifying and race procedures . '' The media enjoyed a guessing game in Australia about just how Alonso might have reacted to events in Melbourne , where Lewis Hamilton and his mighty Mercedes dominated while Alonso 's McLaren teammate Jenson Button finished in last place . Dane Kevin Magnussen , who was deputizing for the recuperating Spaniard , was unable to start the race because of engine problems on his way to the starting grid . Alonso left Ferrari at the end of the 2014 season to rejoin McLaren , which is experiencing teething as it renews technical partnership with Japanese engine manufacturer Honda for 2015 . In his response on Twitter , Alonso chose to focus on congratulating Spanish rookie Carlos Sainz , who finished ninth on his Toro Rosso debut and who was inspired by Alonso as he plotted his own racing career . `` Congratulations to @ carlosainz for the great weekend in Australia ! ! And of course to Hamilton and Mercedes for the win ! ! See you in Malaysia , '' Alonso 's message read . Meanwhile , Boullier is focused on finding improvements in the car 's pace and performance for the next race on Sepang 's sizzling circuit , which is also very physically demanding on the drivers . `` We know we have a mountain to climb as far as performance is concerned , '' the Frenchman said in a McLaren statement . `` In two weeks ' time we 'll be racing in Sepang [ Malaysia ] , where the weather is bound to be extremely hot and humid . `` I 'm not going to be rash enough to predict a form upswing in so short a time frame , but we 'll be working flat out between now and then to make performance and reliability gains in any and every way we can , of that you may be 100 per cent certain . ''
Fernando Alonso steps up comeback preparations in McLaren simulator . The double world champion is targeting a return at the Malaysian Grand Prix . Ferrari team boss