The Alpine A522 changes completely in relation to its predecessor. But not only at a dynamic and aerodynamic level, but also in relation to the propeller, which has been completely renewed.
Recently, Laurent Rossi stated that he had instructed the Viry-Chatillon factory to prioritize performance over reliability when designing the new engine. And, for now, it seems that he is complying in this last sense, because after two days of preseason he has not given any kind of problem.
Not in vain, so Fernando Alonso such as Esteban Ocon have far exceeded 100 laps on each of the days and the data collected indicates that everything is going as expected.
“The car is going well, it is true that we have some problems, like everyone else”
“We think we have taken a step forward with the engine”, confirms Fernando Alonso. «In power, but also in everything else. It has been updated in many different areas. We will see if we can be a little more competitive on this side, and continue to maintain the reliability of last year, which was one of our strongest points.
“So far everything is going well, with all the information we have collected here and in the dinos (dynamometers, test benches). But until we get to Bahrain we will not know what the others have done on the motor side, and what progress they have made », he points out, always cautious.
visibility and fun
But beyond that, Fernando Alonso missed the feeling of driving a Formula 1so it celebrates the return to work.
“It’s good to be in the car and feel the speed of an F1 car. The car is going well, it is true that we have some problems, like everyone else. For now it’s about understanding the car, how to operate the set-up,” Alonso explains.
The new cars are very different from the previous ones, somewhat slower and heavier. But Alonso finds them interesting. “New cars are fun. We are a couple of seconds slower than last year, at least on some circuits. The driver wants to go faster and faster, with lighter cars. But in high-speed areas the car feels good.”
What Fernando Alonso, and the rest of his professional colleagues, do not like so much is the lower visibility caused by larger tires. Something that can be a problem on urban circuits.
«This issue of visibility will be a problem on urban circuits, because we do not have the same visibility in the cabin. The tires are bigger, and we have that on top. We will see », ditch the Alpine pilot.
Photos: Motor.es | Alpine