Fernando Alonso offers F1 president old-school method to spice up action

Fernando Alonso has offered F1 president Stefano Domenicali a way to spice up the action by re-introducing refuelling. 

Refuelling last appeared in the pinnacle of motorsport in 2009, and is something Alonso has stated several times he would like to see return. 

Alonso brought the topic back up during the Italian Grand Prix, in response to comments from Domenicali who is open to shortening F1 races. 

F1's president is open to trialling reverse races, more sprint races and shorter grands prix, due to believing that the sport's younger audience has a shorter attention span. 

Should F1 races be shortened, Alonso is concerned that overtaking could be extremely difficult.

Discussing what a shorter F1 race would be like, Alonso said: "Probably you need to do your own race and you need to find your way into the race to go back to your natural position at the end of the race if you execute it well. 

"If it’s too short, like in some of the sprint races, if you start with a bad qualifying or whatever, there is not time to execute anything. It’s difficult to follow — all the cars have the same tyre age, there’s no possibility to recover places. 

"So the longer race gives you that possibility, that freedom on the strategy. But yeah, as I said, it’s a difficult topic."

Alonso eager for refuelling return

If the pinnacle of motorsport had to introduce something, Alonso believes the best option is a return of refuelling.

Refuelling initially came into the sport in the early 80s, before being banned in 1984. However, it returned in 1994 until the conclusion of the 2009 season.

According to the two-time world champion, it would introduce a completely different approach to race strategies, creating a better spectacle.

"Probably refuelling would be the best thing — I’ve said many times," added Alonso. "I know this is totally the opposite direction of how it’s going. 

"But when you can choose your fuel load and have different strategies, that changes completely the way the race unfolds and that creates an incredible, attractive strategy and races."