Fernando Alonso has once again criticized the current Formula 1 regulations and made a worrying assessment of the role of drivers in the category. The Spaniard stated that high-speed corners have ceased to be a challenge and have started to function as ‘recharging stations’ for the cars.
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The analysis comes amidst changes in energy management, which have altered the way drivers handle the cars during fast laps. According to Alonso, the need to recover energy along the track is reducing the importance of skill in the fastest corners.
For the Japanese GP, the available energy was reduced from 9MJ to 8MJ, which theoretically would allow for faster laps with less need to lift off the throttle. Still, the behavior of the cars at Suzuka, especially at the 130R corner, drew attention and generated much criticism, as drivers had to reduce their pace to manage energy.
This characteristic is related to the circuit design itself, considered energy-limited, much like the Albert Park layout in Australia. The expectation is that the next GP, in Miami, will present a more favorable scenario, with less need for extreme management.
Even so, Alonso once again showed frustration with the situation. The Aston Martin driver recalled previous comments and stated that the difficulty in fast corners has practically disappeared: “It’s over. I said during testing in Bahrain that the team principal could drive the car, now maybe not just the principal, but 50% of the team members could drive at Suzuka,” said the Spaniard.
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The two-time F1 champion also explained how energy management has changed the dynamics of laps: “As I’ve said a few times, high-speed corners have now become the car’s recharging station. You go slow there and charge the battery in the fast corners, then you have full power on the straights, so driver skill is no longer necessary,” he stated.
Alonso also believes that the situation will be difficult to correct completely, even with eventual adjustments: “It’s hard to improve the cars, because it will always be based on the straights and energy saving. This could improve ‘clipping’ and power reductions,” he added.
Even so, the Spanish driver advocates for changes in the regulations to minimize the problem: “It’s something that should be fixed, and it’s very possible that a quick solution in the rules would improve the situation, but in terms of taking the car to the limit, that will no longer be necessary with these regulations,” Alonso concluded.
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