Alpine reveal scale of Fernando Alonso engine problems

Alpine

Alpine reveal scale of Alonso engine problems

Alonso has gone through three power units in as many races this year

Sam Hall

Wednesday 20 April 2022 15:30 Updated: 15:56

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has claimed the team "will manage" Fernando Alonso's power unit problems despite the Spaniard having used three in as many race weekends.

As has been the case for a number of years now, F1 teams are severely limited as to the number of power unit components that can be used across a season.

In the case of the internal combustion engine [ICE], turbocharger [TC], motor generator unit - heat [MGU-H] and motor generator unit - kinetic [MGU-K], teams must complete the season using just three of each component.

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After a number of problems already, Szafnauer revealed Alonso to be down one ICE already, meaning grid penalties are almost certain to follow later in the year.

After joking, "Don't worry, it won't be 23 in 23," Szafnauer explained: "One of those three is back in the pool.

"It was just a precautionary change for us to test some things on the dyno and it tested okay, so that engine will be used again.

"The other one, unfortunately, where the water pump broke, though the water pump isn't part of the ICE, you can change it, but when it broke it overheated the ICE so that one is gone. We will be ok, we will manage."

Alpine cooling based on DRS plan

F1 cars are run to the limit with very fine margins for error and one example of this comes with cooling.

In Australia, Alonso had looked set to secure an elevated grid slot but after his crash in Q3, the Spaniard was relegated firmly into the midfield, something that had not been factored in when setting the cooling package.

"Had he been at the front, he wouldn't have been in trouble," said Szafnauer.

"I think that is the right thing to do. If you plan for the DRS train and have your cooling package that way, you add too much drag.

"So the right thing to do is be competitive and if that happens [overheatring], lift and coast but move out, that is the right thing to do."