Fernando Alonso says Components 1 drivers now should drive 50km/h slower in high-speed corners to get probably the most out of the 2026 vehicles.
Assembly brand-new chassis and engine rules, F1 equipment now incorporates a a lot better electrical aspect, which has made vitality administration preponderant when it comes to driving.
F1 racers now want to reap as a lot vitality as attainable beneath deceleration to deploy it on the most opportune second, however there may be little time to realize by deploying further energy in high-speed corners, relative to lengthy straights.
As Alonso spoke to the press in Bahrain on Friday afternoon, Max Verstappen’s newest feedback had been put to him, with the four-time world champion branding F1’s 2026 vehicles as “Components E on steroids” on Thursday.
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Alonso didn’t fairly disagree, although he insisted one ought to watch for the primary couple of grands prix earlier than drawing conclusions; the Aston Martin driver used the Sakhir circuit’s Flip 12 as a significant instance – a right-hander which theoretically is the monitor’s quickest curve.
“Right here in Bahrain, Flip 12 has traditionally been a really difficult nook,” the Spanish veteran defined. “So that you used to decide on your downforce stage to go Flip 12 simply flat. So that you take away downforce till you might be in Flip 12 simply flat with new tyres after which within the race. So driver ability was decisive issue to go quick in a lap time.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photograph by: Aston Martin
“Now in Flip 12 we’re like 50km/h slower as a result of we do not need to waste vitality there and we need to have all on the straights. So to do Flip 12 as an alternative of 260km/h at 200km/h, you’ll be able to drive the automobile – the chef can drive the automobile in Flip 12 at that pace. However you do not need to waste vitality since you need to have it on the straights.
“So I perceive Max’s feedback, as a result of from a driver [point of view] you wish to make the distinction within the nook driving these 5km/h sooner, however now you might be dictated by how a lot vitality your engine could have on the subsequent straight.
“However on the similar time that is Components 1 and it has been all the time like that. Now it is the vitality. Two years in the past when [Verstappen] gained all of the races it was the downforce. He may go within the corners at 280km/h and we may go within the corners at 250km/h as a result of we did not have the downforce.
“On the finish of the day, that is Components 1. We shut the visor, we go, and this is identical motor racing. Generally we go to the rental kart right here in Bahrain – unbelievable circuit, by the best way – and you’ve got loads of enjoyable with a rental kart. So we nonetheless love motor racing, we nonetheless love competing, and for the regs I perceive there may be much less enter by the driving expertise. However I believe after three or 4 races possibly we have now a greater concept.”
As F1’s most skilled driver in historical past, having debuted on the planet championship again in 2001, Alonso nonetheless misses the equipment from his youth, at a time when drivers principally pushed flat out with little tyre administration in races.
The 2005 and 2006 world champion added: “Positively on the pure driving, I mentioned final week on the automobile launch that for me the late 90s and the early 2000s can be unbeatable when it comes to driving adrenaline and pure expertise from a driver standpoint, since you need to drive quick on the corners and discover the boundaries of the automobile.”
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