The Spaniard suggests modern ground-effect cars may be behind the lack of incidents requiring the safety car in recent Formula 1 races.

Fernando Alonso, the experienced Aston Martin driver, has offered an intriguing explanation for Formula 1’s recent streak of nine races without the safety car being deployed. This phenomenon, which hasn’t occurred since 2003-2004, includes F1’s first-ever Singapore Grand Prix without a safety car, raising questions about the cause.

According to Alonso, the design of modern ground-effect cars may play a pivotal role. The current generation of cars is designed to be faster when driven conservatively, rather than at the absolute limit. He believes that this characteristic is behind the recent reduction in on-track incidents.

Alonso explained that when drivers push their cars to 100%, especially in qualifying, the performance of the vehicle can become unpredictable. “These cars are not easy to drive, but the challenge is extracting the full potential,” said the two-time world champion. Interestingly, he points out that pushing at 90% can sometimes result in quicker lap times. The reason, Alonso suggests, is that driving slightly within the limits avoids disturbing the car’s platform and ride height, which can lead to destabilisation.

He provided a personal example from this year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. Alonso recounted how, in Q1, he was down in 15th, barely avoiding elimination. However, with a new set of tyres in Q2, he suddenly found 1.1 seconds, jumping up to 5th position. “I was braking at the same points, doing the same preparation, but I was much faster,” Alonso noted. This stark difference, he explained, is often inexplicable.

This performance variability, Alonso believes, is linked to the multitude of sensors that monitor the car’s performance. Even slight changes in how the car handles can lead to dramatic differences in speed. These quirks are most visible in qualifying when cars are driven at their limits.

However, during races, drivers tend to back off from pushing at 100%. They manage tyre wear, fuel, and other variables, which results in more stable driving and fewer accidents. “In races, because we are driving at 90%, we don’t see too many problems or incidents,” Alonso said. The cars seem to operate better under these conditions, avoiding the unpredictability of being driven at full tilt.

Alonso’s theory provides a fresh perspective on F1’s ongoing safety car drought. The streak has included a wide variety of tracks, from street circuits like Singapore to high-speed venues like Monza, yet all have been relatively incident-free. The lack of safety cars has also sparked discussion among fans and pundits, many of whom are searching for an explanation.

Alonso’s insight may suggest that F1’s current era of ground-effect cars is playing a part. With drivers holding back during races to manage performance, the chance of mistakes—and therefore the need for a safety car—decreases. His comments also highlight how the demands of qualifying and racing differ, with drivers having to walk a fine line between pushing for performance and maintaining control of their highly sensitive machines.

The nine-race streak without a safety car is the longest in F1 since 2003-2004, a period when the sport was in a different era of car design. However, with F1’s push for safer, more efficient designs, the current cars seem to reward conservative driving, particularly in race conditions.

For Alonso, this unique aspect of the current cars requires drivers to adjust their approach. “It goes against the instinct of a driver to hold back,” he said. “You put on new tyres, go out for qualifying, and want to give it 110%. But with these cars, you sometimes have to manage.”

As Formula 1 continues into the 2024 season, Alonso’s theory may provide a key to understanding the shift in race dynamics. Whether this trend continues or if another factor emerges to explain the safety car drought remains to be seen, but Alonso’s insights offer a thought-provoking view into the nuances of modern F1 machinery.