Fernando Alonso finds “unfair” the length of pre-season testing
In a week's time, pre-season testing will come to an end after three days on the Bahrain circuit. But for Fernando Alonso in particular, who has experienced seasons with far more testing time, three days is not enough.
Since 2021, pre-season tests have been significantly reduced: they have gone from two four-day sessions, totaling eight days, to a single three-day session. Additionally, Bahrain now hosts the winter tests, just before the opening round of the World Championship.
Although this new organization is more sustainable and profitable for the FIA and the teams, Fernando Alonso believes that the drivers are disadvantaged due to a lack of preparation. Despite the modernization of simulation tools, which make simulator tests increasingly realistic, the actual track practice is a whole different thing.
Furthermore, teams only use one car per day. Thanks to simulators, one might think that’s enough to prepare for the new season. However, this also means that drivers only have a day and a half to adapt to their new car, all while hoping that there are no technical issues that reduce their track time.
“We have very limited testing in Bahrain,” said Fernando Alonso. “I thought about it all winter, how unfair it is that we only have a day and a half to prepare for a World Championship.”
« There is no other sport in the world, with all the money at stake and with all the marketing and good things we say about Formula 1, where this happens.
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(I) I don’t understand why we’re going to Bahrain afterwards for four days, which could be split into two and two for the drivers. And I don’t know why we’re not going there with two cars? Because we’re already in Bahrain and we’re racing the following week, wondered the Spanish.
Alonso is not the only driver to have requested the opening of winter testing with two cars. George Russell, director of the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association), has supported the ideas expressed by Alonso.
Personally, I don’t think that three days are enough because we have to consider the pilot’s perspective. It’s a day and a half per pilot, stated Russell last year.
Can you imagine Rafael Nadal going 12 weeks without touching a ball and then going straight to Roland-Garros with a day and a half of training? That would never happen.
But I understand and recognize why we’re doing this. I think three days with two cars would probably be a good compromise, suggested the British driver.
While waiting for Russell or Alonso to be heard, the 20 drivers of the 2024 Formula 1 grid will compete in the pre-season testing in Bahrain from February 21st to 23rd.
