Alonso blasts F1 hybrid era as a ‘lost decade’ of pure racing

Fernando Alonso has delivered one of his sharpest verdicts yet on the hybrid era, claiming modern regulations have cost Formula 1 almost an entire decade of its soul. The two-time champion made it clear he sees the planned 60-40 combustion-to-electric split for 2027 as cosmetic surgery on a much deeper issue – and that the DNA of today's power units will always reward cornering slowly rather than pure racing.

Why it matters:

Alonso’s criticism carries weight given his longevity and direct experience of F1's pre-hybrid glory. His blunt assessment challenges the sport's long-term direction and echoes growing frustration among drivers and fans over technology trumping driver artistry.

The Details:

• On the engine split: “The DNA of these power units will always be the same. It will always reward going slow in the corners. I don’t think it will fundamentally change things,” Alonso told reporters in Montreal.
• On overtaking: He dismissed modern passing as “avoiding action” rather than racing. “When you have more battery than the others, the other ones clip – they reduce 500 horsepower. Then you take an avoiding action and overtake a car.”
• On the wider motorsport landscape: Alonso noted that F1 drivers exploring other categories – like Max Verstappen at the Nürburgring 24 Hours – is healthy. He pointed to his own Indy 500 test drawing millions of online viewers and said such cross-pollination opens fans' eyes to other magic series.

The Big Picture:

Alonso’s verdict comes as F1 struggles to reconcile its hybrid identity with calls for more authentic racing. While the 2027 adjustment may alleviate some issues, the underlying philosophy – energy deployment calculations over driver combat – remains intact. Meanwhile, top drivers increasingly look beyond Grand Prix racing for purer competition, a trend that could reshape the sport's cultural dominance.