Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has pushed back against criticism of the F1 2026 rules, insisting the racing is better than many claim.<\/p>\n
Leclerc has described the racing element of the new rules as \u201creally good,\u201d highlighting the new strategic element introduced by the reliance on the energy recovery system.<\/p>\n
Charles Leclerc rejects F1 2026 racing criticism: \u2018it\u2019s improved a little bit\u2019<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n The all-new F1 2026 regulations were met with strong criticism from drivers and fans alike.<\/p>\n The impact of increased electrical energy on racing was especially jarring, with Leclerc himself describing it as \u201clike the mushroom in Mario Kart\u201d over the Australian GP weekend.<\/p>\n Following the opening three races of the year, changes were made to smooth some of the rough edges.<\/p>\n That included changes to energy deployment on safety grounds, and to the permitted minimum harvesting value in anticipation of \u2018energy-poor\u2019 venues.<\/p>\n In Miami, the first event after the changes were introduced, the on-track action was slightly more subdued<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, with a long break ahead of the event allowing time for teams to develop their cars, an energy-rich venue, and the revised regulations, it is difficult to draw conclusions after the event.<\/p>\n Leclerc<\/a> suggested the regulation changes were in the right direction, and that the impact on the racing itself was less significant.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s improved a little bit,\u201d he told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets following the Miami GP.<\/p>\n \u201cThe battles in itself, I don\u2019t think changed massively.<\/p>\n \u201cThe regulations will remain the regulations. We cannot do a revolution in the middle of the year, but it was a step in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the biggest criticisms from drivers has been the unintuitive driver style needed to get a lap time.<\/p>\n Where once cars were typically grip-limited through corners, in F1 2026 drivers had taken to easing off around corners to harvest energy, deploying it on the following straight.<\/p>\n There was less of that in Miami. However, as an energy-rich circuit, it was not expected there would be much need for lift and coast or super clipping even ahead of the changes.<\/p>\n The key change was the impact on boost mode, and the reduction in power when it was deployed in different parts of the circuit.<\/p>\n On the straights, drivers had access to 350kW as before, but for most of the lap it was capped at 250kW.<\/p>\n It was a change introduced on safety grounds to cover the risk of high closing speeds which led to Oliver Bearman\u2019s Japanese GP crash.<\/p>\n But it also reduced the impact of the boost in battle, a point which should take the edge off some of the more overt battery-assisted overtakes \u2013 not that Leclerc saw them as a problem.<\/p>\n More on F1 2026 rules<\/p>\n FIA confirms changes to F1 2026 rules for Miami Grand Prix<\/a><\/p>\n FIA expands ADUO safety net as cancelled races force Formula 1 rule tweak<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI have always disagreed with that,\u201d he said of criticisms of the F1 2026 racing spectacle.<\/p>\n \u201cI know I\u2019m a bit of an outlier on the grid, but I felt that, at least for the fights I\u2019ve had with the guys in front, when you\u2019ve got cars that have a system, and that use the system in a similar way to yours, actually, the overtaking is really good.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit more strategic than last year,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cBut last year was also strategic with the DRS; if you wanted to overtake at a certain point to have the DRS, having it to pull away, so I don\u2019t think it changed significantly.<\/p>\n \u201cSurely there\u2019s scope to fine tune the system, ways to try and use the system in a better way and optimise that,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not always natural what we do sometimes in the car.\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