Alonso feels size over weight is main F1 car worry

Fernando Alonso feels F1 should address the issue of the current size of the cars first rather than ongoing weight concerns.

The steady increase in weight over the years has now become a problem many teams believe should be attacked.

The minimum car weight this year is 798 kilograms, a staggering 200kg more than the cars of just 15 years ago.

Mercedes technical director James Allison recently suggested that F1 and the FIA should make it the problem of the teams to reduce weight, ie., setting a new lower weight limit the teams should then tackle of their own accord.

Red Bull counterpart Pierre Waché countered, however, by suggesting that a significant reduction in weight could compromise safety.

Two-time F1 champion Alonso feels that if F1 wants to improve the show and increase overtaking, then size matters.

In the space of 10 years, since 2013, an F1 car has increased in length by almost 60 centimetres, and width by 20.

As to how much a reduction in weight would improve the show, Alonso said: “I don’t think it would change much.

“I think it’s more the size of the cars than the weight which makes things a little bit more difficult – overtaking, fights into the first couple of corners of a race, it is difficult now to position the car, just because of the size of it, not because of the weight.

“I think it’s going to be really difficult to significantly reduce the weight because of the hybrid engines, which will always be heavier than normal engines, and the safety on these cars is a lot higher as well.

“I know there is some interest in going in that direction (reducing weight), so let’s see what they can do. It will always be welcome and it’s always more fun to drive light cars.

“But at the end of the day, it’s more the size of them that makes racing a little bit more difficult.”

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, however, disagreed, believing it is the weight of a car that needs to be resolved.

“The dimensions are pretty good,” said Hamilton. “I quite like the size of the car but obviously there are some places where it is tight.

“I think it is the weight that has definitely gone too far. Our wheels this year are a ridiculous weight, and there’s just no need.

“We’ve had light wheels in the past, and then the cars, just the braking zones are longer but I definitely think there are some good changes they can make for the future.”