Fernando Alonso and his proposal to “save F1”: “If you do it, the data will look like that of a racing car. You will reach the curve at your maximum speed”

One of the points that will have the most weight for Fernando Alonso When deciding its future it is that of the current regulations. It’s been a while since the FIA announced adjustments to the electrical and combustion distribution of engines for 2027 and 2028. Now, the distribution is 50/50.

In 2027 it will be 58% combustion and 42% electricity, and in 2028, it will go to 60/40, gradually giving more importance to combustion with respect to electric energy, with the aim that pilots will once again enjoy purer driving, being able to attack more in curves than now, where energy recharging is one of the fundamental aspects.

However, it was striking that Fernando Alonso He has been repeating for several months that his main doubt about continuing to drive in F1 is 2027 lay in next year’s regulatory changes. It seemed to warn that there could be more adjustments, but they had already been published. He did not give more details. However, little by little they get to know each other.

One of the things that could refer Fernando It was what he already revealed Ben Sulayem in Madrid: the possibility of modifying the concession regulations for riders with the worst performance, in order to try to help Honda in some way to catch up with the rest sooner than expected.

But when asked about it, Fernando Alonso made it clear that the main thing for him is not the lack of competitiveness of his engine. If not the lack of fun that the driver feels driving the current cars, something that he does not believe will be completely resolved, much less with the adjustment changes agreed for 2027 and 2028. He already said in Madrid that he feels the “responsibility of using the experience to help F1” to improve its current regulations. To save the sport he loves so much. And weeks later, in Baku, he revealed a possible idea that Max Verstappen and his Red Bull boss, Laurent Mekies, also support.

“For me, I would perhaps reduce the maximum power of the battery to use it for longer periods. Now we have a very rapid acceleration (due to the rapid delivery of electrical power) and then it falls off (as the electrical energy runs out). “So, you attack the corner in a strange way, because you are lifting and doing ‘lift and coast’ for the last 200 meters.”expressed Alonso, who believes that if energy use were reduced or limited to a maximum at any given time, the total battery energy would last longer and the cars would not suffer a drop in speed.

“If you have less power for a longer time, the speed data will look like that of a race car. You will enter the corner at your maximum speed, and you will not reach the maximum speed in the middle of the straight,” he noted. Simple, but effective.

Verstappen and Mekies, in favor of Alonso’s idea

And quickly, Verstappen defended Alonso’s proposal.

“These things have been proposed and I have given my opinion on them. I think I agree with practically everything Fernando says. And he is in a much worse position than me in terms of the area of ​​​​the grid he is in and what he is experiencing. For me, the main thing is that we need more power from the combustion engine and less power from the batteries.”pointed out the Dutchman.

“If you lower the battery power it will seem more normal. Even if you are taking away power, which is not great, it may be more natural. Big changes have to be made,” said Max. Yes, the F1 cars would be slower at their peak speed compared to the current ones, but their speed would be more constant and the drivers could once again make a difference by braking late, something that rarely occurs in the current F1.

Later, it was Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Red Bull, who supported both of their ideas. “We will support any additional adjustments (to the regulations) if an agreement is reached and if it means that the drivers can give their all in both qualifying and the race. I think that is precisely what Fernando and Max are looking for”said the Milton Keynes team boss. But it speaks of something fundamental: an agreement. It is necessary for the F1 teams to accept such a change if it is put on the table, and that is always something complicated because each one will look out for their own interests.

Alonso and the problems of the current F1

On Wednesday, at the press conference prior to the F1 Baku GP, Fernando Alonso was clear when talking about F1’s current problems. He understands that Domenicali, CEO of F1, defends the product because in terms of numbers, the ‘Great Circus’ is going through a good time. But he believes that the rules must be improved so that driving improves, that drivers once again enjoy driving the best cars in the world and that those considered to be the best layouts become so again.

“Next year there will be a change with the 60-40 distribution and that will improve things. But maybe there are more things that we have to consider to continue improving. That’s how I see it,” Fernando said.

“As I said in Madrid, that is also part of my responsibility. I have been here long enough. And I think we all come from the lower categories, from karting, Formula 3, Formula 2, where we drive following our driver’s instinct to go fast: attacking the corners and taking certain risks. And then you come to Formula 1 and you have to undo a little bit of what you have learned during the last 20 years of your career. You have to drive in a different way. That only happens in Formula 1,” He argued before releasing an important phrase that gives food for thought.

“There is no other category in motorsport where you have to go slow to go fast. This year there have been good races and bad races. And I think we have to learn from them,” expressed forcefully.

“In all the cars I drive, going fast is natural: you brake later, accelerate earlier, take more risks and learn during the process. With each lap you go faster and faster because you know the car and its limits better. It’s pure piloting instinct. This is not the case with the current regulations. You have to think a lot before driving because everything is programmed by the regulations, engineering, simulations… There is much less fun driving these cars“explained the man from Oviedo, who was clear when talking about legendary circuits that drivers no longer enjoy, such as Spa, Silverstone or Suzuka: “There have been some circuits that this year have lost all their essence.”

But having said all that, he showed his confidence that F1 and the FIA ​​will make the right decisions for the future of the sport.