‘Not be racing’ – Alonso blasts F1 hybrids after Monaco practice frustration

Fernando Alonso has launched a scathing attack on Formula 1’s new hybrid power units, insisting they “should not be racing” after a frustrating Friday at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The Spaniard’s comments came after a difficult day out in Monte Carlo on Friday where he crashed late in FP1, with Alonso and his teammate Lance Stroll two of the three slowest on the track in both practices.

Fernando Alonso criticises Formula 1 hybrid power units

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

Formula 1’s 50/50 split between combustion and battery power has been a contentious issue throughout the opening race weekends of this season. The drivers have criticised the need to super clip or harvest battery power.

It has not only forced them to lift through corners rather than stay flat, but has also left them running out of power – and therefore losing speed – at the end of the straights.

Monaco was expected to be a different story.

Given the nature of the circuit, Monaco was expected to be one of the few circuits where there would be no need to save energy.

However, according to Alonso, energy management still played too big a role during practice.

“This is probably the worst generation of cars I ever drove in Monaco,” he told PlanetF1.com and other media in Monaco.

“The way you charge the battery, with the braking and lifting off and things like that, obviously creates a lot of inconsistency into the engine braking of the car.

“Sometimes you have less, sometimes you have push and sometimes not.

“If the battery is completely full, then you don’t recharge because the battery is full. So you don’t have engine braking. It’s like pushing.

“It’s just the rules. Hybrid cars should not be racing. It’s as simple as that.”

More from F1’s power units on PlanetF1.com

Audi delivers fresh blow to F1 2027 engine rules change

The real problem threatening F1 2027 engine rules reform

The double world champion’s woes were compounded by Aston Martin’s gearbox issue, which potentially played a role in Alonso’s FP1 crash where he touched the wall coming into the chicane and broke his front wing.

“Now, we harvest a lot during braking,” he said. “The rear axle is just charging the battery massively on the braking.

“And then you have these downshifts that you need to interact with the engine blip to engage the next gear. There are a lot of things going on this year and it seems that we are not at the level yet.”

Aston Martin has yet to get off the mark this season, one of only two teams, along with Cadillac, yet to score a point.

The team’s best results have been two P15 finishes, with Alonso 15th in Miami, while Lance Stroll finished 15th one race later in Canada.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: Lewis Hamilton fastest for Ferrari as McLaren problem strikes Norris