Alonso laments how slow current Formula 1 cars are in comparison to previous cars | FerrariChat

Alonso laments how slow current Formula 1 cars are in comparison to previous cars

Discussion in 'F1' started by 05011994, May 3, 2015.

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  1. 05011994

    05011994 Formula 3
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    #1 05011994, May 3, 2015
    FERNANDO ALONSO
    Current F1 cars feel very slow - Fernando Alonso
    Laurence Edmondson
    2 May 2015


    Fernando Alonso says current Formula One cars feel very slow in comparison to the cars he drove in the early stages of his career, but he has given up trying to influence the future direction of the sport.

    F1 is at a crossroads at the moment with some stakeholders looking to alter the regulations in 2017 despite a complete overhaul of the formula last year. High on the agenda for 2017 are proposals to make the cars more powerful and more difficult to drive, but it remains to be seen whether they would be able to match the lap times of the cars from 2004, which still hold most lap records.

    "I think the cars are different, the cars are slower and heavier," Alonso said. "In China, the pace in the race was 1:43s and in 2004 the pace was 1:33s, so it is 10 seconds difference. When you drive 10 seconds slower you don't have the same feelings, but on the other hand the DNA of the sport remains the same, which is competing against the others, beating the others and being cleverer than the others.

    "When I go go-karting with friends, I have so much fun and you are doing 50kph, so it doesn't matter how much quicker or slower you are, you just enjoy the competition. In terms of pure Formula One feelings, of course as a driver we are very slow at the moment."

    Alonso said drivers are not in a position to influence the regulations because teams and manufacturers in the sport have more power.

    "It is tough, it is difficult. As a driver, you're in a position to ask for many things but I think there is so many interests, so many businesses in the sport and manufacturers involved, they are more powerful than any driver's opinion. You enjoy driving even go-karts, so it just a matter of trying to win."
     
  2. Kiwi Nick

    Kiwi Nick Formula 3

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    #2 Kiwi Nick, May 3, 2015
    ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
     
  3. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

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    #3 Igor Ound, May 3, 2015
    his cars are getting slower and slower even in comparison with the competition so his perceptions are doubly warped
     
  4. SlvSurfer

    SlvSurfer Formula Junior

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    #4 SlvSurfer, May 3, 2015
    Another indicator that his career is over; criticizing F1.
     
  5. Kiwi Nick

    Kiwi Nick Formula 3

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    #5 Kiwi Nick, May 3, 2015
    Sounds like the F1 equivalent of, "In my day, we walked 10 miles to school in 3 feet of snow."
     
  6. rlips

    rlips Formula Junior

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    #6 rlips, May 3, 2015
    10 seconds per lap is a huge amount of time....
     
  7. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 william, May 3, 2015

    Alonso adding his voice to the almost universal condemnation of today's F1.

    Maybe they should take not ...
     
  8. vinuneuro

    vinuneuro F1 Rookie

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    #8 vinuneuro, May 3, 2015
    10 seconds slower should be a reality check for everyone involved. This is a broken sport for so many reasons.
     
  9. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

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    #9 Igor Ound, May 3, 2015
    Bring on 1000 bhp and awd I say
     
  10. PhilNotHill

    PhilNotHill Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #10 PhilNotHill, May 3, 2015
    Alonshole needs to stop whining about it and spend his time trying to make his ride faster. But it is easier to blame someone or something else.

    Yawn
     
  11. Jack-the-lad

    Jack-the-lad Six Time F1 World Champ
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    #11 Jack-the-lad, May 3, 2015
    Regardless of one's opinion of Alonso, it is an empirical fact that the cars are slower. It is a matter of opinion as to whether or not they are less exciting, but I believe they are.
     
  12. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
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    #12 daytona355, May 4, 2015
    The cars are slower, quieter, and the races are more boring. No testing means less chances for teams to improve and the results to be unpredictable
     
  13. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

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    #13 Igor Ound, May 4, 2015
    It's not much but Ferrari say they found 4 more tenths for Spain
     
  14. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #14 kraftwerk, May 4, 2015
    Seems to me it's a bit of contradictory statement...
     
  15. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    #15 PSk, May 4, 2015
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    Again, how the **** can Alonso as a driver fix the cooling issues with the Honda power unit? Remember testing has been banned so he cannot even test the engineers solutions.

    Honestly, anything to cr@p on the guy ... unbelievable. I honestly wonder, did he dump somebody on FerrariChat's sister or something?
    Pete
     
  16. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    #16 PSk, May 4, 2015
    I believe they are slower because of the reductions in downforce and therefore cornering speed, not lack of power.
    Pete
     
  17. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

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    #17 Far Out, May 4, 2015
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    Alonso does have a point when it comes to absolute lap times, but it isn't like we had 500 overtaking moves per race in 2004. As Pete said, the lap time increase can be attributed to the decrease in downforce. One of the reasons for that decrease was to make the cars less dependend on clean air and facilitate overtaking. Am I the only one who can remember the endless parades because overtaking was nearly impossible due to the aerodynamic balance of the cars?
     
  18. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #18 DF1, May 4, 2015
    I always had a clean loft on those 'parade' days lol! :) So difficult to forget that lol :)
     
  19. Simon^2

    Simon^2 F1 World Champ

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    #19 Simon^2, May 4, 2015
    But you were on the edge of your seat with fingers crossed that the engine wouldn't grenade.
     
  20. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

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    #20 TifosiUSA, May 4, 2015
    What are you talking about? He's not referring to his car this year, he's referring to 2015 F1 cars in general...and he's right. The Mercedes W06 would get completely embarrassed by a Ferrari F2004 or McLaren MP4-20. Those cars are a decade old. Sad really.

    The Merc parades today aren't exactly thrilling.
     
  21. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

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    #21 Far Out, May 4, 2015
    Oh yes, immediately after I came back from school, to where I had to walk 10 kilometers steeply uphill... in both directions! Those were the good old days! :)
     
  22. Andrew D.

    Andrew D. F1 Rookie

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    #22 Andrew D., May 4, 2015
    Thats why kids can drive them straight out of gocarts.
     
  23. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

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    #23 TifosiUSA, May 4, 2015
    Exactly. The leap from GP2 or whatever to F1 isn't even that big of a deal anymore
     
  24. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #24 VIZSLA, May 4, 2015
    Too bad he didn't make the statement anonymously.


    The fact that the Emperor has no clothes ain't exactly a Muppet news flash.
     
  25. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #25 WILLIAM H, May 4, 2015
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    Ditch the barge boards, computers, traction control etc & bring this back to Nordschleife

    F1 today Blows chunks

    You want safe ? Play golf
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
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