F1 News: Fernando Alonso Raises Pre-Season Testing Complaints
Fernando Alonso expressed his frustrations over the limited pre-season testing days in Formula 1, an issue that has been a point of contention within the paddock. The limited testing schedule, now confined to just three days, has particularly drawn the Spaniard's ire as the new season approaches.
Key Takeaways:
- Alonso critiqued the reduction in pre-season testing days, highlighting the challenges it poses for teams in preparing their cars for the championship.
- The Aston Martin driver questioned the rationale behind the decision to allocate only three days for testing, suggesting it disadvantages teams and drivers.
- Alonso proposed extending the testing period in Bahrain to four days, allowing for a more equitable division of driving time among team drivers.
In recent years, the landscape of Formula 1 has undergone significant changes, with stringent regulations capping the number of testing days available to teams. This shift from the previous era of unrestricted testing has been a source of frustration for many within the sport, including two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso. On the cusp of unveiling the Aston Martin AMR24, Alonso took the opportunity to voice his concerns over the current pre-season testing format.
The crux of Alonso's argument lies in the perceived insufficiency of the allocated three testing days in Bahrain, immediately preceding the season's opening Grand Prix at the same venue. The Spaniard's critique is rooted in the belief that the condensed testing schedule scarcely affords teams adequate time to fine-tune their new machines.
The Spanish driver explained to the media, as quoted by GP Blog:
"I can say it now because I've been thinking all week about this, how unfair it is that we only have one day and a half to prepare our World Championship.
"And there is no other sport in the world with all the money involved and with all the marketing and the good things that we say about Formula One and being closer and closer to the fans. I cannot understand why we don't go to Bahrain for four days, which could be two and two for the drivers. You know, if you go to three, which is an odd number, you cannot divide between the drivers. And I don't know why we don't go with two cars because we are already in Bahrain and we race the following week,"