Fernando Alonso hopes F1 drivers have a bigger role to play next year, as the wave of radical new regulations hit the 2014 grid. This year, as Pirelli's heavily degrading tyres set the tone, drivers often had to take a back seat to full throttle as they nursed their cars through race strategies, at the beck and call of engineers' informed advice.
But Ferrari's Alonso thinks the new rules for 2014, featuring the introduction of turbo V6s and fuel limitations, could play in favour of the smartest drivers. "Let's see what kind of driving style will be needed," he told Brazil's Totalrace. "I hope that the decisions of the drivers becomes more important and the engineers have less control," Alonso added.
World champion Sebastian Vettel agrees that the drivers will have a big role to play in 2014. "Imagine having only 100 kilos of fuel available for a race!" he exclaimed to F1's official website. "That might require looking for completely different techniques that allow you to go as quick as normal but also save fuel."
On the other hand, with the formula changing so much, 2014 could be a good season for a rookie to arrive freshly on the scene -- like McLaren's Kevin Magnussen. "It'll be a new challenge for everyone, not just for me," he said. "The fact that I won't have as much experience as some of the other drivers actually counts a little bit less," the Dane added.
German driver Nico Hulkenberg, however, thinks the actual truth won't be known until the racing gets underway next year. "Nobody knows," German media quote him as saying at the Essen Motor Show. "It's a new era in formula one. You would have to say that Red Bull and the other big teams have the money and the resources to still be at the top," Hulkenberg, who is switching midfield teams from Sauber to Force India for 2014, added. (GMM)
Alonso hopes engineers have less control in 2014
- Published on 09 Dec 2013 11:53
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Argentina Is Seriously Pursuing a Return to the Formula 1 CalendarFranco Colapinto has done something for Argentine motorsport that no amount of marketing could replicate: he has made...
03 Apr 2026 11:56 -
Verstappen's Worst Season Start in Ten Years: The Numbers Behind the SlumpThree races in, Max Verstappen has twelve points and sits ninth in the world championship. By his own exceptional sta...
03 Apr 2026 16:14 -
Drivers' WhatsApp Group Has "Exploded" as GPDA Confirms Widespread Frustration With 2026 RulesThe discontent among Formula 1 drivers over the 2026 regulations is not a Max Verstappen problem. It is a paddock-wid...
03 Apr 2026 14:58 -
Windsor Predicts Verstappen Will Leave F1: "The Rules Have Reduced Him to an Ordinary Driver"Peter Windsor has gone further than most analysts in his assessment of Max Verstappen's future. The veteran journ...
03 Apr 2026 13:57 -
Reconstruction: Antonelli Is Creating a Verstappen-Style Culture Shock at MercedesFormula 1 appears to have a new prodigy. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has won his first two races in China and Japan, taken ...
03 Apr 2026 12:58
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 628
- Podiums 9
- Grand Prix 194
- Country ES
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (44)
- Place of b. Oviedo, ES
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.71 m
- 187,215 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
Team profile
- Team name Force India
- Base Silverstone, India
- Sergio Perez 11
- Sergio Perez 11
- Nico Hülkenberg 12
- Adrian Sutil 14
- Adrian Sutil 15
- Lance Stroll 18
- Adrian Sutil 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Esteban Ocon 31
- 96,021 comments on Force India
- 8 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Force India
Replies (0)
Login to reply