Alonso blasts F1 for ‘losing a decade’ of real racing

Fernando Alonso has delivered a scathing assessment of modern F1, arguing that the sport's shift toward electrification has cost nearly a decade of genuine racing. The Aston Martin driver believes current power units reward conservative driving and create artificial overtaking based on battery advantage rather than skill.

Why it matters:

• Alonso's critique reflects growing unease among drivers about F1's technical direction. With talks underway to adjust the power unit split from 50-50 to 60-40 in favor of internal combustion for 2027, his comments add pressure for more fundamental change.
• The two-time champion argues the problem dates back to the 2014 turbo-hybrid era, and incremental tweaks won't restore the racing fans want.

The details:

• Speaking ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Alonso dismissed proposed changes: "The DNA of these power units will always be the same. It will always reward going slow in the corners."
• He described overtaking as an "avoiding action" when one car has more battery, allowing it to gain 500 horsepower over a rival that must lift and coast to conserve energy.
• Alonso said the world's embrace of electrification "doesn't apply to racing. Racing is a different animal."
• He added that F1 has "lost nearly one decade or even more of pure racing" since 2014, and encouraged fans to explore other categories, calling F1 just "1% of the whole motorsport environment."

Looking ahead:

• The FIA has signaled willingness to adjust regulations, but Alonso remains skeptical that minor shifts will restore authentic on-track battles.
• With teammate Lance Stroll also calling the racing "fake," Aston Martin's driver lineup is united in demanding a rethink of F1's technical philosophy.