Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsMcLaren

Alonso looking forward to driving by instinct

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Fernando Alonso says the 2016 clampdown on radio messages to drivers will force drivers to rely more on their instinct.

The FIA issued a technical directive to all of the teams last weekend which states the messages which will be permitted next season. With drivers no longer able to receive information regarding fuel saving and tyre life, Alonso says he does not think it will have a major impact on the racing but adds more importance to the driver's role.

“Well I think it will not make a huge change because we receive some information on the radio about tyres and about fuel and about some other things on the car but we are definitely aware of what is happening in the car," Alonso said. "These are just solutions for the specific issues but the limitations are in the race.

"If the information is not coming then it will come by instinct and by the reactions of the car. So we will have to pay a little bit more attention to a few things that now we are relying on a little bit on the radio, but it’s not a big change. Probably it’s welcome to have a little bit more to do in the car and feel a little bit more important.”

And Alonso is similarly not expecting any major difference in terms of starts this weekend as the FIA will prevent drivers from changing the clutch bite point after leaving the garage ahead of the race.

“It will not be a significant change. I know there is some doubts but I think for next year or the following years will be more different. What we will have here is some restrictions on communication with the drivers and the team etc. but I think at least in our team we were not doing any specific communication or strategy during the formation lap so we don’t change much.”

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.