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Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso revealed during the team’s launch of the 2024 title contender that the three-day pre-season testing period in Formula 1 was insufficient to understand and set up the car for the 24-race season that lay ahead.
Key Takeaways:
Fernando Alonso criticized the limited three-day pre-season testing in Formula 1 as inadequate for preparing cars for the upcoming 24-race season, suggesting it’s unfair to have only one and a half days for each driver.
Alonso proposed the use of both cars for testing to address the time constraint, especially when the first race of the season is at the same location.
Valtteri Bottas disagreed, stating that current testing duration is sufficient with advancements in simulation tools. RB/VCARB team principal Laurent Mekies preferred more races over extending testing, citing the current schedule’s manageability.
Each driver on the grid received only one and a half days of testing time which, as per the Spanish driver, is insufficient. During his prime days in Formula 1, teams were allowed several days to test their cars. But with the shortened duration, Alonso calls it unfair.
READ MORE:ALONSO DRAGGED OUT ASTON MARTIN AS HE WON’T REPEAT THE 2023 F1…
If an increase in testing duration wasn’t an option, Alonso suggested that the teams be allowed to use both their cars so both drivers could get more running time on the track, especially when the first race of the season is scheduled to take place at the same location in Bahrain. Here’s what he said to the media:
“We have a very limited testing in Bahrain, which is – and I can say it now because I’ve been thinking all winter about this – how unfair [it] is that we have one day and a half to prepare a World Championship.
“There’s 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 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 [days], 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 because we are already in Bahrain and we’re racing the following week.”
In addition, RB/VCARB team principal Laurent Mekies suggested that with a demanding 24-race season ahead, extending testing sessions is impractical. He emphasized a preference for more races over more testing since the current testing schedule is easily manageable. However, adopting Alonso’s plans could pose challenges, potentially requiring double the resources to operate.
