Lewis Hamilton has cast doubt on the impact of next month\u2019s key FIA meeting, insisting drivers remain powerless in shaping Formula 1\u2019s new regulations.<\/p>\n
The FIA and Formula 1 will meet in April to evaluate the new regulations, with an eye on how they are impacting the racing both in qualifying and the grands prix.<\/p>\n
Lewis Hamilton says drivers have no power over F1 rules<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n Both have been a bone of contention for the drivers, who are not happy about lifting-and-coasting during qualifying to harvest battery power, but their complaints about the actual racing are numerous.<\/p>\n From poor starts to fake overtakes, both dependent on battery levels at the times, this year\u2019s racing has been called artificial and fake.<\/p>\n Also dangerous.<\/p>\n While the sport has yet to be seen a huge start-line crash, it did see one resulting from massive speed deltas in Suzuka when Oliver Bearman closed in on Franco Colapinto at more than 50 kph. The Haas driver had enough time to take avoiding action but hit the grass on his left, shot across the bow of Colapinto\u2019s car and slammed into the barrier on the outside of the Spoon Curve with an impact of 50G.<\/p>\n Bearman was fortunate to walk away with nothing more than a badly bruised knee.<\/p>\n Hours after his crash, the FIA confirmed that it would meet with Formula 1 and the teams to discuss the new egulations. <\/p>\n \u201cBy design,\u201d read the statement issued to PlanetF1.com, \u201cthese regulations include a number of adjustable parameters, particularly in relation to energy management, which allow for optimisation based on real-world data.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been the consistent position of all stakeholders that a structured review would take place after the opening phase of the season, to allow for sufficient data to be gathered and analysed.\u201d<\/p>\n More on F1\u2019s 2026 regulations<\/p>\n F1 \u2018mushroom boost\u2019 fears realised as Oliver Bearman suffers 50G Suzuka crash<\/a><\/p>\n F1 cannot ignore warning signs after Oliver Bearman crash exposes 2026 flaws<\/a><\/p>\n Going on to state that \u201cany potential adjustments, particularly those related to energy management, require careful simulation and detailed analysis\u201d, the Formula 1 drivers don\u2019t expect much to change.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not expecting much from it,\u201d Hamilton<\/a> said, \u201cbut I know I hope they make some big changes.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, only on some performance, we\u2019re hugely down to the Mercedes engine, and what that is, we don\u2019t know whether it\u2019s just that they have a bigger turbo or just more crank power or something else. We\u2019ll find out.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to try to figure it out, work harder.\u201d<\/p>\n Quizzed on whether he is expecting much because it is not an easy issue to resolve or because of F1 politics, the Briton replied: \u201cThere\u2019ll be a lot of chefs in the kitchen. It doesn\u2019t usually end up with a good result.\u201d<\/p>\n He doubled down on that a day later, saying: \u201cThe drivers don\u2019t have a say. They don\u2019t any power.<\/p>\n \u201cNo power, we are not on the committee; we have no voting rights.\u201d<\/p>\n Hamilton though, it not the only driver concerned that the 9 April meeting with not benefit those on track.<\/p>\n Williams driver Carlos Sainz<\/a> said: \u201cThat\u2019s the problem when you listen only to the teams, that they will think the racing is OK because maybe they\u2019re having fun watching it on the TV,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut from a driver standpoint, when you are racing each other, and you realise that there can be 50km\/h speed delta, that\u2019s actually not racing.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no category in the world where you have this kind of closing speeds because that\u2019s when big accidents can happen because it catches you by surprise, you defend late, it catches you or the car [behind].<\/p>\n \u201cAnyway, I really hope they listen to us, and they focus on the feedback we\u2019ve given them, rather than only listening to the teams.<\/p>\n \u201c[I hope] they come up with a plan for Miami that improves the situation, and a plan also for the medium-term future of these regulations to keep improving it.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if you cannot improve everything for Miami, do another good step in Miami and then a big step for, I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s next year or later in the season.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n