Alonso admits that these cars are difficult to understand

Even the most experienced Formula 1 drivers do not always fully understand the behavior of modern cars that use the principle of ground effect.

Fernando Alonso will reach the incredible milestone of 400 Grands Prix in the coming year, but he is willing to admit that these cars only perform truly effectively in a very limited range of settings and external conditions, meaning the driver does not always know exactly what to expect from them can expect.

An example of this is the behavior of Ferrari cars in Mexico City: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz found it difficult to explain why they managed to improve significantly in qualifying in the final session and occupy the entire front row.

“We have added eight tenths, if not a second, and this suggests that our car has properties that we don’t fully understand,” said Sainz, who posted the second fastest time in qualifying. – Unexpectedly it turned out that the SF-23 was within a very correct operating range and this was a pleasant surprise. We don’t know exactly why we sometimes drive fast and sometimes slow.”

Carlos’ idea was developed by a two-time world champion, who has been competing for the Aston Martin team since last year – his words are quoted by the Spanish newspaper Marca: “These cars are more difficult to tune, their behavior is more difficult to tune. to understand. Even communicating this information to the team can be difficult. Sometimes during the trial process it seems to me that everything is going well – and then I return to the pits, look at the results and it turns out that I am only 14th.

And sometimes the picture is completely opposite: the car is difficult to drive, the balance is not good, but you end up in the top three. These machines are very sensitive to changes in settings.”

During his long career in Formula 1, which started with Minardi in 2001, Alonso raced several generations of cars, both with classic naturally aspirated engines and with hybrid power plants, and it seems that nothing would surprise him anymore. Yet modern technology sometimes also puzzles him.

“I don’t think it’s just aerodynamics,” concluded Fernando. – I think the very stiff suspension and minimal ground clearance also have an effect. It is difficult to understand exactly the sensations you experience while piloting.

How correct is the balance of the car, how does it interact with the tires, how does the aerodynamic kit work, how does the suspension function and what is the level of mechanical grip? All these parameters can sometimes be a little confusing if you listen to your feelings and observe the behavior of the machine through your hands and the whole body. I think this generation of cars is very complex.”

Source: F1 News

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