Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has come out in support of the 20-race calendar for Formula One in 2011, but called for more testing time.
The current ban on testing during the season, he argues, limits the chances for young drivers to hone their skills and help even established veterans get to grips with changes to modern F1 cards.
Four pre-season test sessions, covering a mere 15 days, is all that the teams and drivers will be allowed before the season finale at Interlagos is over and done with, and Alonso has called for more time to be opened up in the middle of the season.
"I like 20 races, [because] I like racing and competing, so to have more races is welcome," the Spaniard said.
"But I also like testing, so I'd like 20 races and more testing. It's not easy and it's unfair for new drivers that they cannot test more."
With the sport becoming more and more technically advanced, Alonso would also welcome more time to get adjusted to the 'gadgets' being introduced to his car each season.
The 2004-05 world champion has already been to Maranello to try the seat for the new Ferrari, codenamed 288.
“The cars will certainly be more complex to handle on the part of the driver because we will have more operations to carry out,” he explained.
“There will be the return of KERS and the new adjustable rear wing, even if the front wing won’t be adjustable any more.
"You will need to find the way to adapt and find the right mechanisms for the buttons to avoid losing the correct concentration for driving. The simulator gives us a big hand with that, allowing us to do intensive training on this aspect."
The introduction of the adjustable rear wing is designed to encourage overtaking, with drivers able to make adjustments after two laps, provided that his car is less than one second behind the one in front. Asked, however, whether he thought the changes would indeed help overtaking, Alonso remained optimistic.
"I hope so," he admitted, no doubt recalling the frustration of the 2010 finale when he was frustrated by the Renault of Vitaly Petrov for two-thirds of the race as the title slipped from his grasp.
"For years, changes to the regulations have been brought in with this objective but they haven’t always worked. We’re crossing our fingers, but I think that, between KERS and the adjustable rear wing, there will be enough difference in speed to be able to overtake a car you’re fighting. These changes have been brought in after meticulous work on the part of the Technical Working Group and I believe they will work.
"Will we have to be more aggressive? It depends on the situation - if you just need a place to win the title then there’s no need.”
Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa admits that there is as much to lose from the new technology as gain.
“If you make the wrong choice and you have three cars behind you, you could fall from first to fourth in an instant,” the Brazilian remarked.
“We have so many things to do on the steering wheel, but we still need to drive the car. We can do it but, from a driver's point of view, it's not fantastic. On every [turn] there are three or four buttons to press. It's definitely a little too much.”
Alonso was also upbeat over the change of tyre manufacturer necessitated by Bridgestone's withdrawal at the end of the 2010 campaign.
“The first feeling is positive,” Alonso said of the switch to Pirelli rubber, "but we will know more at the next tests. Those will be very interesting. I will certainly have to change my driving style a bit, but the unknown remains the wet tyres that we haven’t yet had a chance to try.”
Four pre-season test sessions, covering a mere 15 days, is all that the teams and drivers will be allowed before the season finale at Interlagos is over and done with, and Alonso has called for more time to be opened up in the middle of the season.
"I like 20 races, [because] I like racing and competing, so to have more races is welcome," the Spaniard said.
"But I also like testing, so I'd like 20 races and more testing. It's not easy and it's unfair for new drivers that they cannot test more."
With the sport becoming more and more technically advanced, Alonso would also welcome more time to get adjusted to the 'gadgets' being introduced to his car each season.
The 2004-05 world champion has already been to Maranello to try the seat for the new Ferrari, codenamed 288.
“The cars will certainly be more complex to handle on the part of the driver because we will have more operations to carry out,” he explained.
“There will be the return of KERS and the new adjustable rear wing, even if the front wing won’t be adjustable any more.
"You will need to find the way to adapt and find the right mechanisms for the buttons to avoid losing the correct concentration for driving. The simulator gives us a big hand with that, allowing us to do intensive training on this aspect."
The introduction of the adjustable rear wing is designed to encourage overtaking, with drivers able to make adjustments after two laps, provided that his car is less than one second behind the one in front. Asked, however, whether he thought the changes would indeed help overtaking, Alonso remained optimistic.
"I hope so," he admitted, no doubt recalling the frustration of the 2010 finale when he was frustrated by the Renault of Vitaly Petrov for two-thirds of the race as the title slipped from his grasp.
"For years, changes to the regulations have been brought in with this objective but they haven’t always worked. We’re crossing our fingers, but I think that, between KERS and the adjustable rear wing, there will be enough difference in speed to be able to overtake a car you’re fighting. These changes have been brought in after meticulous work on the part of the Technical Working Group and I believe they will work.
"Will we have to be more aggressive? It depends on the situation - if you just need a place to win the title then there’s no need.”
Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa admits that there is as much to lose from the new technology as gain.
“If you make the wrong choice and you have three cars behind you, you could fall from first to fourth in an instant,” the Brazilian remarked.
“We have so many things to do on the steering wheel, but we still need to drive the car. We can do it but, from a driver's point of view, it's not fantastic. On every [turn] there are three or four buttons to press. It's definitely a little too much.”
Alonso was also upbeat over the change of tyre manufacturer necessitated by Bridgestone's withdrawal at the end of the 2010 campaign.
“The first feeling is positive,” Alonso said of the switch to Pirelli rubber, "but we will know more at the next tests. Those will be very interesting. I will certainly have to change my driving style a bit, but the unknown remains the wet tyres that we haven’t yet had a chance to try.”
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