Fernando Alonso has expressed concern that the FIA’s ambition to have a 30kg weight reduction on the new Formula 1 cars in 2026 represents an “impossible target”.
The FIA has now revealed the initial guideline behind the newest regulation change which will see the cars become lighter and also be 100mm narrower than present.
However, the FIA’s desire to bring down the weight that has risen over recent rulesets could be hampered by the electrical energy on the engine being more prominent.
The revised powertrains will boast a 50/50 split between the internal combustion engine and the electric components, with a 120kW increase in overall battery output.
With those alterations on the engine side in mind, Alonso has questioned whether the sport will be successful in its pursuit to hit the intended weight reduction target.
“I think it is impossible probably to achieve 30 kilos already,” Alonso, who has penned a deal with Aston Martin to compete during the next regulation period, told Autosport.
“If the power unit is 50% electric and you need the batteries to support that, cars will just increase 20 or 30 kilos because of the power unit.
“And then you want to reduce 30 [kg] – you need to drop 60 kilos of the current car, which is the same as at the moment, probably to the teams [it’s] an impossible target.
“They have two years to achieve that target and as always in F1, what is impossible in 2024 will become reality in 2026 because there are very clever people in the teams.
“But I think all is a consequence of something else that is in the cars.”
However, Alonso was more positive about the new Manual Override Mode, which in essence will replace the Drag Reduction System (DRS) as a core overtaking asset.
The Manual Override Mode will allow a driver pursuing another car to extract the maximum 350kW power from the MGU-K up to 337kph while their rival ahead cannot.
“It was the same before, when we had KERS on for six seconds and you had to choose where in the corners and lap to use that six seconds,” Alonso explained.
“And sometimes you used it in different places to the car in front and vice versa and it created some overtaking opportunities.
“So I tend to agree with giving some freedom to drivers to use power here or there and to create alternative strategies, which we are now implementing all in the same places.”
But the Spaniard, who is the oldest driver on the F1 grid at 42, has admitted he would like the teams to have more freedom under the rules as was common in the past.
“I think it should be easier,” he added. “Perhaps it should be more simply a pure race and more linked to the drivers, the team and the specific setup on each track recalling in the past greater freedom in the design of the cars: some F1 cars had six wheels, just to give an example.
“And on some tracks you can have advantages and on others you know you will get hurt.
“The same when we had Michelin and Bridgestone tyres in 2005. Maybe a difficult season for Bridgestone if the Michelins were better.
“It could rain here in Montreal and the Intermediate tyres would be great for Bridgestone, and all the Bridgestone cars, they could win the race, or be on the podium.”
“So I like that kind of freedom that gives you the ability to choose something. And it’s not just dictated by regulations.”
