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Formula 1 Cars Breaking Apart on Impact Is Weighty Issue to Alonso

Photo credit: CHRISTIAN BRUNA - Getty Images
Photo credit: CHRISTIAN BRUNA - Getty Images

The full impact of the ever heavier Formula 1 cars is the focal point of the discussion following Mick Schumacher's frightening crash at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.

That is the view of Fernando Alonso, who since making his Formula 1 debut way back in 2001 has seen the overall weight of F1 cars increase from 600 kg (1,322 pounds) to today's almost 800 kg (1,760 pounds).
"The accident we saw was very serious," Alonso said. "It was almost like Jeddah again, where Mick's car was also split into two halves. The gearbox was separated from the chassis, as it was again in Monaco. Luckily he was alright, but I hope Formula 1 and the FIA will draw the right conclusions."

Photo credit: CHRISTIAN BRUNA - Getty Images
Photo credit: CHRISTIAN BRUNA - Getty Images

Indeed, 40-year-old Alonso thinks the fact the car couldn't withstand the crashes is a sign not necessarily of a design flaw or the speed, but simply because today's cars weigh so much.

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"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," the two-time world champion Alonso added."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."

Photo credit: Clive Mason - Getty Images
Photo credit: Clive Mason - Getty Images