Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Alonso on F1’s New Era: Complexity and Challenges of Ground Effect Cars

Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin discusses the intricate challenges presented by the current ground effect Formula 1 cars.

The recent technical rule over haul in Formula 1 for 2022 significantly emphasized the under side of the cars to generate the majority of down force, marking a substantial shift in aerodynamic dynamics.

Teams encountered challenges with the radical changes, grapple with issues like porpoising and bouncing, while the competitive order saw fluctuations from race to race, with Red Bull dominating the scene.

Aston Martin, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes experienced varying success, often finding themselves as the second fastest team on different tracks, show casing the struggle for consistency.

Fernando Alonso, a two time F1 champion, perceives the difficulty in setting up these cars, especially noting the narrow operating window of cars like the Mercedes W14.

Alonso emphasized the complexity of understanding and providing feedback on these cars to teams, often finding discrepancies between perceived performance and actual standings during races.

He attributes the temperamental behavior to both the aerodynamic design and the necessity of maintain low and stiff suspension to maximize ground effects.

The challenge lies in finding the correct balance between aerodynamics and suspension, creating confusion in discerning the real balance, tire interaction, aerodynamics, and mechanical grip.

Alonso expressed that this complexity arises from the inter play of aerodynamics, suspension stiffness, and mechanical grip, making this generation of cars quite intricate to handle.

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