Reuters
Formula One F1 – Bahrain Grand Prix – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – March 25, 2021 Alpine’s Fernando Alonso during the press conference FIA/Handout via REUTERS
Reuters
Formula One F1 – Bahrain Grand Prix – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – March 25, 2021 Alpine’s Fernando Alonso during the press conference FIA/Handout via REUTERS
With just 12 races left in the 2021 season, teams have already started looking ahead to the 2022 season. The next year would seemingly level out the playing field; everyone will take time to adjust to new regulations as well as a whole new car. But two-time world champion Fernando Alonso doesn’t think so.
The Spaniard is heedful going into the next season with Alpine, as the new era doesn’t necessarily mean new outcomes. “I think there is no guarantee and no feeling that you can put on the future on any team, basically.”
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Alonso isn’t too hopeful of the sport taking a new turn, as he believes the dominant teams will continue to dominate.
Reuters
Formula One F1 – British Grand Prix – Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Britain – July 15, 2021 (L – R) Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel pose during a promotional photoshoot for the unveiling of the new 2022 F1 car REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
Alonso commented, “What you’ll see next year, in the first couple of races or the first year of that set of regulations, eventually, you will see the same result for four or five years is what we saw. A team that is dominant at the beginning of one set of rules; they seem to keep that advantage for years.
“Everything gets closer and closer, but the same one is winning.”
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20 years in the sport, Alonso’s experience adds weight to his predictions. With most teams starting developments on their 2022 cars, will the idea of equity remain unattainable?
Fernando Alonso on 2022 season
Alonso believes the upcoming season will be better for the younger drivers. “Next year is rather interesting, especially for the younger drivers, how they decide their future because no team has a guarantee that they will perform well.”
The Alpine driver has also spent time with the team when it was Renault. As a result, he knows the team can adapt to the cost cap and new regulations rather smoothly. “I think this team has been always clever at interpreting rules, has been always fighting. It’s not the team that has been spending a lot of money in Formula One in the past.”
2022 vibe, dressed in 2021 summer collection. 🙌#F12022 pic.twitter.com/thr3SYp8OL
— Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) July 16, 2021
The FIA has introduced these new regulations to reduce the vantage that top teams have because of finances. Teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull are bound to have the better car compared to teams like Haas or Alfa Romeo. Looking ahead, Alonso concluded, “I think there is a chance to close the gap, but there are no guarantees for sure.”
Will the 2022 season pen a different story for the sport or will we see the top teams stay on top regardless?
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