F1 Q&A: Lawson, Perez, Ferrari, Haas, Toyota, Sauber and safety cars

Fernando Alonso has an interesting perspective on the lack of safety cars. Does it hold versus an analysis of the first half of 2024 with the same cars? – Paul

There has not been a safety car in Formula 1 since the Canadian Grand Prix – so, not for nine races.

Fernando Alonso’s theory for why this is the case is as follows: “These cars are not easy to drive, but I think the problem of these cars as well is to extract the 100%.

“So if you drive at 90%, sometimes you are faster because you don’t put the platform in an inconvenient angle or ride heights. You are not pushing the limits, where everything falls apart.

“That’s why sometimes in the races, because we all drive at 90%, we have to take care of the tyres, the fuel economy, all these kind of things, we don’t see too many problems and we don’t see too many safety cars or accidents.”

Far be it from me to argue with Alonso – and I’m not going to. It’s quite possible this has been an influence in the lack of safety cars.

The thing is, though, that has been the case in races for quite a long time.

Because Pirelli tyres overheat if they are pushed hard, drivers have been managing their pace in races for years. With the odd very rare exception, drivers have not been flat out in races since Pirelli entered F1 in 2011.

As for the lack of safety cars, sometimes these things just happen and it’s a statistical quirk. Lots of factors are involved.

Take Singapore, for example. Lando Norris had two very near misses with the wall on his way to victory. Had he got either of those very slightly more wrong than he did, not only would he not have won, but there would have been a safety car.

On top of that, the last time there was a safety car also happens to be the last time there was a wet race – that, too, will have a lot to do with it.

Canada was mixed conditions. The safety car in Miami was caused by Max Verstappen dislodging a bollard as he began to struggle with his car.

There will be another safety car soon enough.