Alonso was "very far" from the NASCAR Bahrain race – NASCAR



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Fernando Alonso said that it was "very far" to find a good ride in his NASCAR test in Bahrain.

While Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup winner, had been impressed by a Formula 1 car at an exchange held Monday by McLaren, Alonso said that the car's features and lack of "good looks" were not enough. tire grip left him struggling with extreme difficulty in the Johnson Chevrolet.

"I think I was very far from a very good lap," Alonso explained.

"Driving style [wise]I still did not know what was the best way to take a ride.

"I have encountered a lot of braking problems. The car has a very poor delay because of the weight and the steel brakes. They behave very differently from those I am used to.

"And traction, [on] these tires with the amount of power that these cars have, is very difficult to manage. So first, second [and] third gear, you always turn the tires.

"I did not know it was better to go all the way and spin the tires to really go ahead or control with the throttle and maybe lose some performance at the exit.

"It's not so clear to me, even after a day, what is needed on these cars."

Johnson said the Bahrain circuit was not a suitable place for Alonso to become familiar with NASCAR in order to understand the performance of the car.

"He [Alonso] did not have a handful of experiences, "said Johnson.

"Our cars are heavy and have a high roll center, so when you put them on an inclined track, they have a chance to shine.

"Dover, Bristol, even some of the 1.5 km bank [ovals], would really impress him. "

Alonso said the test had left him uncertain as to the feeling of driving on an oval, especially when there were other cars around him.

"I've already told Jimmie that it was hard to imagine for me now, after the feeling that I had today with very little adhesion and many problems with it. traction, how will these cars feel in an oval race, "he said.

"Obviously, there are no more demands for traction, you are just on the oval and keep the average speed, so it's a very different way to drive the car.

"Maybe the slide is less [dramatic] but longer in the corner, and maybe that's a different feeling. The stop / start circuit like Bahrain, I think, has really hurt the philosophy of the NASCAR car. "

When asked if the NASCAR experience had made him want to test again, Alonso replied, "For now, I think it's okay.

"These cars are designed for oval racing, so they have a lot of weight left of the car, even if they are trying to get ready for a road trip."

Alonso has not ruled out the possibility of making a unique appearance in NASCAR in the future, but said that the schedule of the 36 races in the Cup series and the techniques required to be fast on the ovals meant that he would not consider a full campaign.

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