F1 veteran Fernando Alonso has criticized Formula 1’s pre-season testing, calling the odd three-day format “unfair” for drivers and highlighting what he perceives as a fundamental inconsistency with the sport's aspirations.
Alonso is on the eve of his 20th season in Formula 1, meaning the Aston Martin charger experienced the sport’s bygone era of extensive testing when teams could spend weeks fine-tuning their machines, without any restrictions on mileage.
The period was a stark contrast to the current three-day window enjoyed by competitors before the season kicks off and imposed on teams for cost-cutting reasons.
Alonso argues that this limited timeframe simply isn't enough for drivers to properly prepare for the intense competition of a world championship.
“I've been thinking all winter about this, how unfair is [it] that we have one day and a half to prepare a world championship,” commented the Spaniard.
“There's no other sport in the world…”
Pre-season testing schedules vary across teams, with most opting for a one-driver, one-day split interspersed with a final shared session.
While the justification for limiting testing used to be purely financial, the growing argument for running two cars might hold more weight now.
Previously, concerns revolved around the logistics costs associated with running an additional car.
However, with testing now permanently nestled in Bahrain, which also hosts the first Grand Prix, this argument loses its punch.
Since all the necessary equipment is already shipped to Sakhir, the additional costs of running a second car would primarily involve personnel and operational expenses. This cost, some argue, pales in comparison to the potential benefits.
The disconnect isn’t lost on Alonso who questions why drivers get the short end of the stick.
“With all the money involved, and with all the marketing and the good things that we say about Formula 1, and being closer and closer to the fans, I cannot understand why we then go to Bahrain for four days, which could be two and two for [each of] the drivers.
“If you go to three, which is not even, which is an odd number, you cannot divide [fairly] between the drivers.
“And I don't know why we don't go with two cars.”
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