Alonso rips into F1 hybrid cars: ‘They should not be racing’

Fernando Alonso has reignited his long-running war against Formula 1’s hybrid machinery with perhaps his most blunt verdict yet.

The Aston Martin veteran has been a vocal critic of Formula 1’s latest generation of cars, arguing that the sport’s increasing dependence on energy management is stripping away the very essence of racing.

Following Friday’s practice in Monaco, Alonso once again aimed squarely at the regulations, delivering a stinging assessment in which he believes the sport has fundamentally missed the mark.

The ‘worst cars ever’ in Monaco

“This is probably the worst generation of cars I ever drove in Monaco,” he lamented.

For a driver renowned for thriving on precision and commitment through high-speed corners, the current machinery represents everything he dislikes about modern Grand Prix racing.

Alonso has repeatedly argued that drivers are being forced to think more about battery states and energy deployment than attacking the circuit.

His frustration centers on the unpredictable nature of the hybrid systems and the varying levels of engine braking created by battery management.

“The way you charge the battery, with the braking and lifting off and things like that, obviously creates a lot of inconsistency into the engine braking of the car. Sometimes you have less, sometimes you have push and sometimes not.

“If the battery is completely full, then you don't recharge because the battery is full. So you don't have engine braking. It's like pushing.

“It's just the rules. Hybrid cars should not be racing. It's as simple as that.”

The comments amount to one of the strongest condemnations yet from a current Formula 1 driver of the sport’s hybrid direction.

While manufacturers and governing bodies have championed the technology as a showcase for innovation and sustainability, Alonso’s view remains unchanged: the systems are compromising the driving experience and creating artificial limitations, or advantages, that have little place in elite motorsport.

Aston Martin’s struggles add fuel to the fire

Yet Alonso’s criticism of the regulations cannot be viewed entirely in isolation from Aston Martin’s own difficulties.

The Silverstone-based team has endured a miserable start to the season, and the AMR26 has emerged as one of the most troublesome cars on the grid.

Alonso has frequently complained about erratic behavior under braking and gear changes, issues that surfaced again during the opening practice session in Monaco when he lost control approaching the chicane and brushed the barriers.

“Now, we harvest a lot during braking,” he explained. “The rear axle is just charging the battery massively on the braking. And then you have these downshifts that you need to interact with the engine blip to engage the next gear.

“There are a lot of things going on this year and it seems that we are not at the level yet.”

Those drivability concerns have left the 44-year-old describing the car as “way too inconsistent,” while Aston Martin continues searching for answers. The team is also battling what Alonso has labelled “chronic understeer,” a problem that setup changes have so far failed to cure.

That context matters.

While Alonso’s objections to hybrid-era Formula 1 predate Aston Martin’s current struggles, the team’s dire competitiveness is unlikely to be improving his mood.

A driver fighting near the front may be more willing to tolerate the quirks of the regulations. Alonso, by contrast, is grappling with both a car he dislikes and a package that is failing to deliver results.

• Read also: Alonso fears Aston Martin ‘may not be able to race’ in Monaco

The numbers from Friday practice painted a bleak picture. Aston Martin found itself alarmingly adrift, with Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll closing out the field in FP2, along with Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas.

For a team that entered the new era hoping to establish itself among Formula 1’s leading contenders, the performance gap is difficult to ignore.

Whether Alonso’s latest broadside sparks fresh debate about Formula 1’s technical direction remains to be seen. What is certain is that the Spaniard has no intention of softening his position.

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