Big annoyance at too-short testing period in Formula 1: 'It's unfair'

Once upon a time, Formula 1 teams were allowed unlimited testing. Especially the top teams took full advantage of this opportunity: every free moment the car was turned on the track somewhere in the world. Nowadays, the number of test days is very limited. In the run-up to the 2024 season, there are only three. That leads to annoyance in the F1 paddock.

When Fernando Alonso is in the talking chair, every subject he is annoyed by comes up for a moment. Sunday night, on the eve of the presentation of Aston Martin's AMR24, was one such moment. The question was actually whether the Spaniard was interested in the vacant seat at Mercedes, but Alonso started talking about the lack of testing opportunities.

Alonso thinks three is a strange number

In a week's time, the first and only test for the new season will start in Bahrain. For three days, the 10 F1 teams will be allowed to work on their brand new cars before the Bahrain Grand Prix kicks off a week later at the same circuit. "I can say it now because I've been thinking all week about this, how unfair it is that we only have one day and a half to prepare our World Championship," Alonso told, among others, GPblog.

"And there is no other sport in the world with all the money involved and with all the marketing and the good things that we say about Formula One and being closer and closer to the fans. I cannot understand why we don't go to Bahrain for four days, which could be two and two for the drivers. You know, if you go to three, which is an odd number, you cannot divide between the drivers. And I don't know why we don't go with two cars because we are already in Bahrain and we race the following week," Alonso concluded.