Fernando Alonso: F1 lost a full decade of “pure racing”, overtakes are now “avoiding actions”

Alonso does not believe the proposed 60-40 split for 2027 will address the main issues with Formula 1’s new regulations and instead says it remains a matter of waiting for the next cycle

Following the tweaks introduced ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, the FIA and Formula 1 are set to take another step next season to address the biggest concerns in the paddock surrounding the current regulations. There is an agreement in principle to change the balance between the internal combustion engine and the electric power to a 60-40 split in favour of the ICE.

The technical details have yet to be finalised, although discussions are focused on the fuel flow in order to make the combustion engine more prominent, while reducing the share of electric power by 50 kilowatts.

Although it once again appears to be a step in the right direction, Fernando Alonso does not believe it will have a significant effect next year. Asked by Motorsport.com whether this change solves the main issues or whether it remains a matter of waiting for the next cycle, Alonso replied:

"Waiting. The DNA of these power units will always be the same. And it will always reward going slow in the corners. I don’t think [it will fundamentally change things]."

The two-stage changes at least show that the FIA is listening to drivers' criticism, although Alonso does not believe that was ever the biggest problem.

"I mean, they always listen. The thing is that the world went or thought to go into the [direction of] electrification, that was thought to be the future. But that doesn't apply to racing. Racing is a different animal.

"Now, we go a little bit back to the 60-40, and then in the future to less and less. Unfortunately, we had this period from 2014 with the turbo era, and now even more, that we lost nearly one decade or even more of pure racing."

Fernando Alonso: It's not overtaking, "it's just avoiding action"

Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

The current regulations have resulted in significantly more overtaking, but Alonso argues that alone does not mean much.

Asked where the best overtaking spots can be found around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the Spaniard explained that overtaking is no longer an art.

"On the straights, when you have more battery than the others,” he added. “It will be very easy. And it will not be overtaking, it's just an avoiding action.

"When you have more battery than the others, the other ones clip, so they reduce 500 horsepower. Then you have 500 horsepower more than the others, you take an avoiding action, and then you overtake a car."

Verstappen’s Nurburgring outing ‘opens the eyes’ of fans

Partly because of these issues, Max Verstappen has increasingly turned to endurance racing, most recently with his outing at the Nurburgring 24 Hours last weekend.

Although Alonso welcomes more drivers exploring other racing series, he does not necessarily see it as a negative reflection on F1’s current state.

Max Verstappen contested the Nurburgring 24 Hours last weekend

Photo by: Marc Fleury

"I don't think that they can call that pure racing. It's just a different series. But it's good that they discovered different sports and different categories, and different ways of enjoying motorsport. Formula 1 is just 1% of the whole motorsport environment," Alonso continued.

"And yeah, I think people enjoy it. I remember when I did the Indy 500 first test, there were like 2 million [people] on YouTube just watching me doing laps around the oval, alone. And then they followed it that season.

"There were like two Europeans driving in the Indy car, now there are 80% Europeans driving in IndyCar. So, hopefully more people will go to the Nurburgring, or to the Le Mans in the future, or whatever."

According to the two-time world champion, it not only broadens the horizons of drivers, but also those of fans.

"If top drivers in Formula 1 [go there], they are just opening the eyes for fans into a new series. Formula 1 is the pinnacle and lovely, but also the other series are just as magic as Formula 1 in a sense."