Fernando Alonso explains what he misses most about the Formula 1 of the past, although he also admits that the sport is healthier than ever. The Spanish veteran recently raced his four hundredth Grand Prix and knows better than anyone how the premier class has changed over the past twenty years. Despite the many things he misses, Alonso is very positive about the current state of Formula 1.
Over two decades ago, during the 2001 Australian GP, a young Fernando Alonso stood on the grid for the first time. In the run-up to the upcoming Las Vegas GP, the Spaniard has more than four hundred races to his name. Alonso, who has become a two-time world champion in the meantime, has experienced a lot of changes. For example, he has driven with V10, V8, and V6 engines in his illustrious career. When asked, he explained to the media what he misses most in modern Formula 1.
“Refuelling during pit stops, fast cars on Sunday, the sound of the engine,” Fernando Alonso listed. “Also, bigger sponsors, grid girls, grid boys. The marketing just worked differently back then. Now it’s all about social media, in the past everything still happened in the real world.” Despite all these shortcomings, Alonso notes that the sport is healthier than ever before.
‘Formula 1 is better than ever’
“We are in a good position,” he admitted honestly. “Formula 1 is popular all over the world, especially in the United States. We owe all this to Liberty Media and the actions they have taken. The teams are much more professional; everyone works very disciplined, also because there is now a budget cap. Formula 1 is probably better than ever now.”
However, Alonso remains a strong advocate for refuelling during pit stops. This was banned in 2010 to ensure the safety of the drivers. “In the past, we simply had many more strategy options,” explained the Aston Martin driver. “Now we have to manage a lot more. And the race pace is much slower when you have thirty kilos of fuel on board. Sometimes we are just seven seconds slower at the start of a race. That can be a bit demotivating,” he concluded.
