Fernando Alonso on Mercedes's DAS: "I don't think it's a big factor"

Mercedes's new DAS system is the latest Formula 1 innovation and it is clear to see how technically brilliant this mechanism is. However, Fernando Alonso is unsure how much time it will actually save them around a circuit. 

"Only they know for sure what it is doing with the car and what the benefits are from it," Alonso told Sky Sports. “But I don't think it's a big factor. It is not like the DRS or the F-duct with which you win half a second, six tenths or four tenths."

"I think it's just a way to fine-tune. It's more that they demonstrate their potential with this. They show everyone that they can be at the top of their lives and that they are not relaxed even though they are world champion. That is probably the biggest message they send with this DAS system."

A number of teams have said that they are not going to copy the DAS system because they believe that they can find time elsewhere. Perhaps DAS won't be a significant advantage but Alonso is right. The fact that the team are still trying to develop new ways to go faster shows that they haven't got complacent and that they will be a real threat this season.