Fernando Alonso says he is not in favour of getting rid of heated tyre blankets in Formula 1.
Next month, a vote will take place where the sport will decide if tyre blankets will remain or not for 2024.
The blankets keep the tyres warm before the cars are sent out onto the track and provide drivers with more grip straight out of the pits.
F1 has talked about getting rid of the tyre blankets for some time, but attempts over the years have been unsuccessful.
In Montreal last weekend, it was pointed out to Alonso that he has experienced tyres without tyre warmers before in single-seater competition, having competed at two Indianapolis 500 events in 2017 and 2019.
But the two-time World Champion says the situation isn’t comparable to F1 and hopes to see the blankets remain.
“Well, I think it depends on the tyre energy that you put on that specific circuit,” he said. “Barcelona will help the tyres, some others, it will make things very difficult.
“Indy, I think you put a lot of energy in the tyres immediately and it was fine.
“At places like Monaco, or some others… I’m not a big fan of removing the blankets, to be honest, and I don’t see the reason why.”
Following the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc tested the tyres with no blankets and says he expects drivers will run into issues if the track temperature is low.
“You’ve got four or five corners where it’s very tricky,” he said. “Where the tyres need to get into temperature. When you are alone on track it is not that much of a problem.
“But of course, if you are racing other cars, then it becomes very, very difficult to manage. If it remains four or five corners, even in low conditions, then it’s something that we could consider.
“But obviously with very low conditions, I expect this to be much longer, this warm-up period, and this then could become difficult.”
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