Australian motorcycle racing icon Casey Stoner says there are \u201cups and downs\u201d with the F1 2026 regulations, such as the \u201covercomplicated\u201d electronics.<\/p>\n
Stoner gave his verdict on Formula 1\u2019s new era while speaking with Martin Brundle at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The conversation included an intriguing Brundle comment of: \u201cWe\u2019ll like them in the end.\u201d That marks a contrast to when Brundle, with \u201ca tear in my eye,\u201d was calling for the demise of this ruleset.<\/p>\n
Intriguing Martin Brundle verdict as Casey Stoner talks F1 2026<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Stoner, the two-time MotoGP world champion from Queensland, Australia, was on the grid at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, the final round before the summer break.<\/p>\n Formula 1 and MotoGP are both owned by Liberty Media.<\/p>\n Martin Brundle, who was conducting his iconic \u2018grid walk\u2019 segment on Sky F1, headed over for a chat with Stoner, and asked him what he thinks about the new F1 2026 regulations.<\/p>\n The new chassis regulations have proven popular, with drivers able to follow each other much better in the first-half of F1 2026.<\/p>\n It is the power units which have polarised drivers and fans alike.<\/p>\n With the near 50\/50 split of electrical energy and internal combustion power, various drivers have spoken out about the impact on track.<\/p>\n Oscar Piastri, for example, bluntly said that F1 2026 \u201csucks\u201d after the Belgian Grand Prix.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019ve got qualifying grids decided by computers behaving or misbehaving, it\u2019s a pretty crap way of going racing,\u201d he added when speaking with PlanetF1.com and others.<\/p>\n Piastri\u2019s fellow Australian could understand that point of view.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s some ups and downs with the regulations,\u201d said Stoner.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they are overcomplicated with the electronics. Just understanding some of the nuances and difficulties these drivers have to deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n Then came an interesting Brundle response of: \u201cBut they\u2019re good anyway, we\u2019ll like them in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n Granted, Brundle was trying to make a quick exit from the conversation with the national anthem about to start, but it was a striking U-turn.<\/p>\n An additional feature of the F1 2026 competition to face scrutiny at times is energy harvesting and deployment. Though the FIA took steps to address this, the visits to Silverstone and Spa \u2013 high-speed, or \u2018energy poor\u2019 circuits \u2013 stirred up fresh criticism as drivers battled to keep the battery topped up.<\/p>\n Brundle was among the critics.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they\u2019re all struggling to really fully understand it, to be honest,\u201d said Brundle of the drivers and these rules.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got a bit of a tear in my eye because we\u2019ve lost all the great corners at Silverstone, and here we are at Spa with the same situation.<\/p>\n \u201cThese new regulations hurt us on the high speed circuits.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re doing something about it for \u201927 and \u201928, and we have to get rid of this concept as soon as possible in 2030 or 2031.<\/p>\n \u201cThat aside, this is what we\u2019ve got. When I\u2019m out on track on a Friday, wow they look fast. And when they\u2019re side by side and ducking and diving, it looks a lot of fun to watch.<\/p>\n \u201cBut for now, they\u2019ve got to get on top of the complexities, and there are a lot of them.\u201d<\/p>\n To Brundle\u2019s comment, Stoner did highlight an area of F1 2026 which he enjoys.<\/p>\n \u201cI like how much power there is, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Latest F1 2026 talking points via PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n Watch: Will Carlos Sainz stick or twist in F1 2027 season?<\/a><\/p>\n Lewis Hamilton offers personal verdict on much-improved F1 2026<\/a><\/p>\n At the F1 2026 summer break, Mercedes\u2019 Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers\u2019 Championship<\/a> by 50 points from Ferrari\u2019s Lewis Hamilton.<\/p>\n Additional reporting by Thomas Maher<\/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