Fernando Alonso has welcomed the FIA's announced restrictions on driver aids for 2016, saying it will mean drivers are forced to rely more on their natural instinct and "feel a little bit more important" behind the wheel.
The FIA has issued the teams with a technical directive which takes a stricter view of Article 20.1 of the sporting regulations, which states "the driver must drive the car alone and unaided". The proposed changes will limit communications between drivers and their engineers further, with messages relating to tyre degradation or fuel saving via lifting and coasting among those no longer on the permitted list of radio messages for 2016.
Alonso has made no secret of his frustrations about the current state of Formula One and, though he doubts the changes will make much impact on the racing, he is looking forward to the renewed challenge.
"Well I think it will not make a huge change because we receive some information on the radio about tyres and about fuel and about some other things on the car but we are definitely aware of what is happening in the car," Alonso said. "These are just solutions for the specific issues but the limitations are in the race.
"If the information is not coming then it will come by instinct and by the reactions of the car. So we will have to pay a little bit more attention to a few things that now we are relying on a little bit on the radio, but it's not a big change. Probably it's welcome to have a little bit more to do in the car and feel a little bit more important."
Alonso has also played down the impact of the new starting procedures set to be introduced at the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend. For the rest of the year drivers will no longer be allowed to change the clutch bite point once they leave the garage and will get no feedback from the team about clutch settings.
"It will not be a significant change. I know there is some doubts but I think for next year or the following years will be more different. What we will have here is some restrictions on communication with the drivers and the team etc. but I think at least in our team we were not doing any specific communication or strategy during the formation lap so we don't change much."