Fernando Alonso breaks down why team bosses are hesitant to promote a young driver in F1

Fernando Alonso has been competing in F1 since 2001.

Fernando Alonso breaks down why team bosses are hesitant to promote a young driver in F1

Fernando Alonso (Via: Imago)

The F1 grid seems to have run into a problem. Young talents across divisions have not been able to manage a promotion to F1 due to the limited seats and lack of testing in the top division. Following this, Fernando Alonso gave his verdict on the situation and how it could be resolved.

For the first time in the sport’s history, it was observed that no rookie was promoted to the premier class this year, despite having ample talents lined up for an F1 seat like Felipe Drugovich or Theo Pourchaire, who won the F2 title in 2022 and 2023 seasons respectively. This has raised various kinds of questions in the paddock.

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Fernando Alonso recently came forward to shed some light on the situation and said,

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They [teams] are so stressed already with the budget cap and all the personnel that travel and around the world for these 24 races that I think it is quite impossible to set up a test team like in the past to really prepare a young driver. And we don't even have winter testing, even if you put a rookie on your car, he will have one day and a half before starting a world championship. So that probably stops some of the team bosses to really promote a young driver.
Fernando Alonso said in an interview with Racingnews365

Alonso asserted that due to budgetary and testing restrictions, the youngsters are not provided with a level playing field. Moreover, the regulations restrain team bosses from taking on the risk of hiring a rookie as they will not be performing at a high level because of their inexperience. This has ultimately led to a reduced intake of rookies in the elite class, which is harmful to the sport.

Fernando Alonso deems himself as a candidate for the seat at Red Bull

The Spaniard is one of the most highly-rated drivers on the current grid. Moreover, the Aston Martin driver is the only former world champion not contracted to any team for the 2025 season. This situation can play out in Alonso’s favor as the silly season has just begun amid all the conspiracies.

Fernando Alonso (via imago)
Fernando Alonso (Via: Imago)
I do believe that I am on the list, because I do not have any contract at the moment. It is better to be on that list than on others.
Fernando Alonso said in an interview with Marca 

The former champion expressed that he is one of the candidates for the seat available at Red Bull for 2025. Also, the 42-year-old had earlier shown interest in moving to Mercedes since it was revealed that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving his renowned alliance at the end of this year.

Despite this, rumors around the paddock suggest that the silly season is going to be full of shocks, the season has just started and it is all to play for the wildly old fox that is Alonso. Fireworks can be expected in the driver market in the upcoming months.

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