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Double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso has acknowledged that the sport?s raft of new regulations for 2011 represents ?a challenge? ? perhaps too much of one all in one go, he hints ? and the Ferrari star has expressed some concerns about the rapid degradation and inconsistency of Pirelli?s tyres.

Having led the way during the morning, Alonso ultimately wound up just fifth-quickest on the opening day of pre-season group testing around Valencia?s Circuit Ricardo Tormo, some eight tenths of a second adrift of pace-setter and defending title-holder Sebastian Vettel ? although on a more positive note, Ferrari?s F150 scarcely missed a beat, which could not be said for all of the new contenders.

The Spaniard subsequently stepped things up a notch to record the fastest lap of anyone on day two, and whilst professing it a successful couple of days in the cockpit, he conceded that there remains a lot to learn in terms of the tyres and steering wheel-operated KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) and adjustable rear wing ? admitting that it is a lot to try to take in with such restricted time in the seat ahead of the Bahrain curtain-raiser.

?The tyres degrade a lot, they are not very consistent at the moment and we are very limited in terms of the number of tyres as well,? the 29-year-old lamented, according to SPEED.com. ?You have to keep one set of tyres for the whole morning, and then maybe put one [set] for half of the afternoon and one at the end. It?s difficult to make set-up changes and to really get an answer at the moment on those.

?These new buttons on the steering wheel are obviously not the easiest thing to use at the exit of corners. You lose concentration in your driving line or in your driving style, pure performance, but it?s also something [with which] drivers who get used to the systems, and drivers who are trained more or are more clever on this can have an advantage.

?With the new F1, you have to try to get used to it better than the others ? it?s a challenge for all of us to try to do better than our colleagues, and we started step-by-step. Some laps we activated the KERS, some other laps we activated the rear wing, and then we started doing everything at the same time and getting used to it. [By the first] afternoon, everything was coming out automatically, so I think it?s good. Jerez will be enough to be completely confident with everything.?

As to his own feeling at Ferrari twelve months on from his arrival at the legendary Scuderia, Alonso reflected that he is now far more settled at the Maranello-based outfit ? and as such, from his rivals? perspective, far more dangerous to-boot, with F1 commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone having opined that the 26-time grand prix-winner ?will not so easily accept defeat? as in 2010.

?Obviously it?s better this year,? he mused. ?Last year it was really, really the first test, and a lot of excitement, a lot of emotions also, because it was [my] first time in a Ferrari. This year we approached the test in a better way, more relaxed ? I know Ferrari, I know all the staff, I know also the programme for this test. We have two days; last year I only had one, so it was a lot of things to do in one day. This year we started more in a relaxed way and really focussed on the things we had to do. Last year was more like a demo than work!?

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Labels: admits, Alonso, aposa, challengeapos, concerns, Eurosport, Pirelli, regulations, Yahoo

{ Pause for thought: Red Bull driver Mark Webber has expressed his discomfort at the possibility of an F1 race going ahead in Bahrain so soon after protestor deaths Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Questions are also increasingly being asked of the FIA’s leadership. As of Sunday night the sport’s governing body had yet to make a single official statement on the crisis.

Following last week’s violence in the island kingdom, there were encouraging signs over the weekend as the army and police withdrew from Bahrain’s capital city Manama and pro-democracy protesters were allowed back into Pearl Square.

However, the overwhelming feeling within F1 — certainly from teams, sponsors and drivers — remains that it would be inappropriate to go racing just weeks after people have died and the country is attempting to build a new political consensus.

“When you hear of people losing their lives, this is a tragedy,” said Red Bull’s Webber following practice in Barcelona on Sunday. “It’s probably not the best time to go there for a sporting event. They have bigger things, bigger priorities.”

Meanwhile the warnings against “non-essential” travel issued by many governments, including the United Kingdom’s, remain in place. It seems, however, that no one wants to make the call.

Although there have been whispers that teams and drivers might boycott a race, publicly they have pledged to abide by the decision made by Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA.

There are commercial implications at play here with teams contractually obliged to turn up if the commercial rights holder stages a race.

Ecclestone repeated yesterday what he told Telegraph Sport last Tuesday, that he would leave the final decision to Bahrain’s crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifah.

“He will decide whether it’s safe for us to be there,” Ecclestone said.

Privately, it is accepted that security is not Ecclestone’s only concern. It could prove costly to cancel the race if the Bahrainis are adamant they can stage it safely. Bahrain is thought to be paying $40 million for the grand prix, plus $20 million for the privilege of hosting the season opener.

As for the FIA, the silence from Paris has been deafening although the relationship with Bahrain is a particularly sensitive one. The Bahrain royal family has close ties to FIA president Jean Todt.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the second son of Bahrain’s king, is a FIA World Council member and played a key role in Todt’s election in 2008. Bahrain’s crown prince is also a shareholder in Nicolas Todt’s — Jean Todt’s son’s — ART Grand Prix team.

Within the paddock Bahrain has a stake in McLaren. Its sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat owns 42 per cent of the McLaren Group and 50 per cent of McLaren Automotive, the company’s road car division.

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton said on Sunday that he hoped the Bahrain race went ahead.

As for the broadcasters, the issue is similarly fraught with ethical and commercial dilemmas.

BBC F1 presenter Jake Humphrey hinted that he might boycott a race when he told his Twitter followers on Sunday: “For those asking. Just because the race goes ahead doesn’t mean the BBC have to be there. We’ll make a call, and I know what mine will be...”

Telegraph Sport understands, however, that the BBC, which paid an estimated £200 million for the rights to F1, will attend the grand prix if it goes ahead.

Complicating the issue is the fact that the final pre-season test is scheduled to be held at Bahrain’s Sakhir track a week before the race, from March 3-6.

“In the end the right decisions will be made,” Webber said. “It’s not a big deal to be honest because there are more things than F1 in Bahrain. Bigger priorities. That is what they want to work on over there, generations of issues.”

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Labels: Bahrain, civil, concerns, following, Telegraphcouk, timing, voices, Webber