Here we are, two races into the new Formula 1 regulations, and while the race in Shanghai was not as bad as the season opener, the picture does not look any better.GrandPrix247 Editor in Chief Paul Velasco and I were having a chat after the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, reflecting on the race as a whole.
While there were several bright moments, the moment we discussed the Yo-Yo racing, the situation became depressing.
We have been talking about the new regulations for some time now, and I have gotten to know through a trusted source that they would be bad long before the 2026 cars were even revealed.
But we hoped maybe the F1 engineers would find a way to make them less bad. Sadly, that has not materialized.
I recall back in 2014, when the first V6 turbo-hybrid era began, we felt F1 was in a dark place, having lost the noise and turned into efficiency racing rather than flat-out racing.
I remember the late Niki Lauda saying ahead of 2014 that he had two words for Lewis Hamilton: Lift and Coast.
And while that was the case, as the former power units were developed, they became more efficient, and the drivers could push more, and with the MGU-H—which everyone hated—the effect of the electricity was masked, especially as most of the power came from the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE).
Which brings us to the 2026 regulations
Formula One Management (FOM) and the FIA, each to a varying extent, are responsible for what we have now, as our sport was whored out to car manufacturers who have their own agendas that in no way have the interest of F1 in mind.
Car manufacturers, Audi/VW in particular, did not want the MGU-H, so it was binned, and they wanted more electric power, so their wish was the FOM and FIA’s command.
Thus FOM and the FIA followed them blindly, not really realizing that the world is changing, with many other options for future mobility emerging, like hydrogen and sustainable fuels, as a better alternative to electricity, especially when you keep in mind the downside of electric vehicles and their components on the wellbeing of the environment, which was the initial reason why we have the abomination that is electric vehicles.
So, to attract car manufacturers, who historically have a topsy-turvy commitment problem, F1 created a formula for a world that does not exist anymore.
Notably, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem called for naturally aspirated V8s or V10s powered by sustainable fuels, but I cannot really judge how sincere he was with that suggestion, not to mention that he cannot yield much power as to how the sport is managed.Â
How it started, how it finished!
With the power unit formula decided, development started, and soon enough, it was clear the new power mills would not deliver enough power, limited by the battery capacity, and since we cannot have a bigger battery, which would contradict the intention of having smaller, lighter cars, F1 started reacting.
They started by reducing drag on the rear wing, which made the car unstable in the straights in early simulations, so we ended up with moveable aero on the front wing as well so the loss of downforce will be balanced. Fine, but despite all that, the cars are still power-deprived!
What makes matters worse is that all concerns were downplayed by the FIA, saying the final product will not be as bad, but then we got a reality check in preseason testing and then in Melbourne.
Now there is some talk about changes, which will doubtfully happen, and even if they did, they will be reactive, just patching things up with a suggestion to change the ratio of power output to 70% ICE and 30% battery.
But that would mean, based on my understanding, that the massive peak power we now have at limited intervals in a lap, when the battery is fully charged, will be less as the power of the ICE is capped and any changes to produce more power out of it will require fundamental changes, which cannot happen soon.
When the foundations are defective…
Basically we will be making one mistake after another because when the foundation is defective, so will the final structure.
Which brings me to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. When they started building it, the foundation was faulty, and it started leaning when the second floor was added.
However, they kept on building it, and in the end, they had a beautiful tower. But it is crooked.
And this is exactly what FOM and the FIA did. They started with a wrong formula and kept building on it by knee-jerk reactions, and as a result we got the 2026 Formula 1 cars.
So guess what, Mr. Stefano Domenicali? The new cars look nice and sound better, but they are crooked, and no matter how you spin it, you cannot escape that reality.