Alonso casts doubt on 2026 F1 car weight reduction goal
Fernando Alonso voices doubts over F1's ambitious goal of making 2026 cars 30kg lighter, citing the increased reliance on electric power and batteries as potential weight-adding factors.
Weight concerns
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has expressed skepticism about Formula 1's target of reducing the weight of the 2026 cars by 30kg compared to the current generation.
The Aston Martin driver believes this goal might be unattainable due to the increased emphasis on electric power and batteries in the new power unit regulations.
Electric power shift
The 2026 regulations prioritize a greater reliance on electric energy, which could lead to a significant weight increase due to the added batteries required to support this shift. Alonso stated:
"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."
Impossible target?
Alonso believes that achieving a 30kg weight reduction on top of the potential weight gain from the new power units could be an "impossible target" for teams in the initial stages.
He acknowledged that while Formula 1 teams are renowned for their ingenuity, the goal might be unrealistic for the 2024 season, although it could become a reality by 2026.
"They have two years to achieve that target, and as always in Formula 1, 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."
Slower speeds a concern
Williams driver Alex Albon also weighed in on the 2026 regulations, expressing concerns about the "extremely slow" speeds the new cars are reported to achieve in the simulator.
However, he welcomed the move towards smaller car sizes as a positive step.
While acknowledging the complexity of the new power unit regulations, Albon suggested that simpler engines might be a better solution, stating,
"I'd rather just have a bit more simple engines."
As the 2026 regulations continue to take shape, the weight reduction target remains a point of contention, with Alonso's skepticism highlighting the potential challenges teams may face in balancing performance and efficiency with the new electric power emphasis.
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