Testing ban makes F1 stale - Alonso

[vcs316]

Fernando Alonso is concerned F1 is becoming stale due to a lack of freedom in the technical regulations.

Tight rules dictating the shape of the cars, an engine freeze and a ban on in-season testing mean the teams' development between races is restricted. Ferrari, which owns a private test track and has huge resources, has struggled more than most with austerity in F1 and the team admitted to making mistakes by continuing development of the F-duct at the expense of overall downforce earlier this year.

"The goal is always to win but it's not so easy," Alonso said. "You cannot invent new things without testing. There is little room for creativity; our technicians have their hands tied,"

"The test ban is not the perfect thing when you are behind, when you have to close the gap to the top teams. But I think it hurts a bit more for Ferrari because we have superb facilities in Maranello. We have everything here, we have the Fiorano circuit and when we look out the window it is normally empty because we cannot test the Formula One car. It's sad to see that but that's the way it is, the teams agreed to do that.

"We need to be better than the others in some other aspects; we have to be better than the others with simulations, etcetera. I think we have all the tools and all the facilities to be the best."

He said that he is already confident that Ferrari has closed the gap to Red Bull but said it would be more apparent at tracks that suit the F10.

"I think Red Bull has been strong all season and we have to remember Silverstone is a special track with very special corners and in 2009 Red Bull also dominated at Silverstone," he said. "I think we made some very good improvements to the car and I think we are very close to Red Bull now in terms of performance. Hopefully we will see that at more normal circuits like Germany and Hungary and we will be fighting for pole position.

"The advantage they had at Silverstone was in entry, middle and exit of the corner, a little bit of everything but, as I said, Silverstone is a very special track for Red Bull and hopefully the next ones will be different for us."

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

[Hornet]

I'm glad Alonso brought it up
I've been complaining about it since day 1, its the dumbest decision ever in F1. But who cares what I say

Hopefully more people will see it that way and speak out against it, and will pressure "them" into returning testing. Them referring to whoever have the power to turn that dumb rule around.

[Rob]

I'm glad Alonso brought it up
I've been complaining about it since day 1, its the dumbest decision ever in F1. But who cares what I say

Hopefully more people will see it that way and speak out against it, and will pressure "them" into returning testing. Them referring to whoever have the power to turn that dumb rule around.

+1

It has in away ruined F1. Engineers should be allowed to do what they do best, engineer new ideas and ways of beating other teams (fairly).

Should unfreeze the engine regs, let engines go to 19,000 RPM and loosen up aero regs aswell. Let them test and come up with new parts to help boost performance. As long as safe and not back too the 1000+BHP. Its what F1 is all about (meant to be).

Bring back testing. SIMPLE

[Ste]

F1 is being completely ruined by the new pathetic regulations, one's coming and one's from the last couple of years. Trying to be eco-friendly in F1 is ridiculous.

It's not what it's about. As I always say, it's about Noise, Power, Top Technology, Money spending etc etc.

Limiting testing, reducing engine RPM, saying engines and gearboxes have to be used for X races rather than just one, bringing in smaller engines etc it's all awful. By 2013 the cars will sound like lawnmowers. F1 isn't about being economical, completely the opposite in-fact. I wish we could go back to the early part of this decade when F1 was how it should be. Even since 2007 the cars are a lot quieter, not as bad as Formula BMW, but getting there!

[epiclyaddicted]

Yep, agree with everything that has been said in this thread so far. They have to bring back in season testing, even if it's limited, as a compromise. Say you can only test for a certain number of days between Grands Prix, or something like that, to keep costs in check. But we're not allowed to forget, that in F1, in the end we're all here for racing. And not just any racing, it's the pinnacle of motor racing for anything on four wheels. So it shouldn't be just about green technologies and eco-friendly F1 cars and all that rubbish, it should be about the racing!

[Suzie]

Yep, while F1 is trying to be more green, it's also pledged in the past to be more accessible and fan-friendly. I don't see why they can't incorporate testing into a race weekend like MotoGP does (I think!), or have a couple of test sessions a year that the fans could go and see very cheaply or for free; perhaps throw in a paddock walk or better access to teams/drivers, something like that.

[Nova]

Dumbest agreement in the history of F1..I agree w/everything said..And I'll ask the same question Ive asked b4..How can you have a race car and not test it????...absurd...engines for x races, gearboxes..and the standard ecu is 1 that I will never forget..absurd....lets put an ecu on a Ferrari made by a co owned by Ron Vadar...yea, right...Bet Enzo did a few flips at that one...Will the real F1 stand up....they seem to be getting away from what F1 was supposed to be in the 1st place...
Remember 89, V12, semi automatic gearbox, loud and rowdy race cars....

[mad_ani]

"The test ban is not the perfect thing when you are behind, when you have to close the gap to the top teams. But I think it hurts a bit more for Ferrari because we have superb facilities in Maranello. We have everything here, we have the Fiorano circuit and when we look out the window it is normally empty because we cannot test the Formula One car. It's sad to see that but that's the way it is, the teams agreed to do that.

Well the rules are the same for every F1 team....F1 has been innovative, Fduct (new iteration each race), rebirth of exhaust blown diffs, aero wheel rims w/o testing...

maybe this(lack of testing) is where Ferrari have been hit the most in the last 2 years....Although having a great track and a decent wind tunnel (fullscale, 250kmph+), the current regs do not allow for more development by real world testing, but rather lab experiments and simulations.

F1 would be great if we went back to 10-15 days of testing during the season rather than just the straight line aero tests.....should be ok if all teams could travel to a particular location immidiately after a race like, Algrave or Jerez and conduct F1 tests..so that logistics would not be a nightmare for the teams...

[NJB13]

F1 is being completely ruined by the new pathetic regulations, one's coming and one's from the last couple of years. Trying to be eco-friendly in F1 is ridiculous.

It's not what it's about. As I always say, it's about Noise, Power, Top Technology, Money spending etc etc.

Limiting testing, reducing engine RPM, saying engines and gearboxes have to be used for X races rather than just one, bringing in smaller engines etc it's all awful. By 2013 the cars will sound like lawnmowers. F1 isn't about being economical, completely the opposite in-fact. I wish we could go back to the early part of this decade when F1 was how it should be. Even since 2007 the cars are a lot quieter, not as bad as Formula BMW, but getting there!

Couldn't agree more with this. I had a thread not that long ago covering rules and regs that should go - but my premise was, and still is, there should be almost no limits - less will produce more.
F1 is not about being eco-friendly, and it is not a place for mom and pop racing teams. It's a place for the ultimate and the leading edge.
I mean, the cars all look almost exactly the same now - boring. There is no room for different approaches. The best solutions and the best ideas start in someones brain as a thought and that doesn't cost anything. All these rules just stifle creativity. The best ideas in the past have not been the exclusive domain of the most money spent.

[Rob]

F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, well meant too be. But all these stupid rules and regulations are (have) ruined it. Since the days of Toyota, Honda and BMW, in away they helped us get on this eco road. As they were more worried about the F1-road connection. So wanted all this eco pushed hard to say we have it in our road cars, arent we good.

Ive always said this sort stuff is all good in Prototypes and GT racing as they have more of road car connection. Look at what Audi has done in the past, 10 years. Ever since they started winning with the R8 with FSI technology (fuel stratified injection) and right upto TDI in the R15 Plus, all that engine technology can be found in all Audi road cars. Audi has always said that F1 doesnt appeal to them as it wouldnt help with the road car development.