After Mick Schumacher’s scary crash during the Monaco Grand Prix, fans of the sport have been wondering why the car split in two. Alpine driver Fernando Alonso believes F1 should learn from this crash, as he blames the car’s weight for breaking up on impact into the barrier.
When Schumacher’s Haas hit the barrier, the rear of the car and gearbox separated from the main monocoque. F1 drivers were obviously concerned as they passed him under a yellow flag, and the race was eventually red flagged so the Monaco marshalls could clean the track of debris.
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Fortunately, Mick wasn’t hurt, with him being checked over by the medical centre straight after the incident. But Alonso doesn’t want this crash to be forgotten. Instead he wants F1 to learn from this “very serious” crash:
“Luckily, he was alright but I hope Formula 1 and the FIA will draw the right conclusions,” said the former 2-times world champion.
“It seems to me that the car didn’t split into two because something was wrong with it. The problem isn’t the cars themselves, but their weight.
“They are very heavy, currently more than 800 kilograms, so the inertia when they hit the wall is much higher than before. Perhaps this experience will teach us something.”
Adrian Newey, currently working for Red Bull, echoed this sentiment earlier this season. Talking of how the regulation changes have changed how the car’s behave, he said:
“I think the principle of helping cars to overtake by reducing the sensitivity of the following car to the one in front is fine. I think it helps to be able to overtake a little better. I don’t think it’s a significant change but it will help a little,” Newey told Motorsport Magazine.
“If you make such a significant rule change, which inevitably brings with it many other changes, then it will probably lead to the field expanding further in the first few seasons.”
He continued, adding that he doesn’t like how these new cars are becoming heavier:
“In just a few years, the weight limit has increased from a low 600kg and 30-40kg of ballast on board to cars with 800kg and more,” the aerodynamicist said.
“And we are all working like crazy to make that happen to achieve the currently prescribed minimum weight. In short, the cars have become bigger and heavier and not particularly aerodynamically efficient because they have a lot of air resistance.
“Obviously this wrong direction is the same in which the general automotive industry has recently developed – ever larger and heavier cars and the people’s obsession, whether they drive on batteries or on gas, the biggest issue is the amount of energy it takes to move the damn thing, regardless of where that energy comes from.”
