{"id":258891,"date":"2025-07-12T12:17:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-12T12:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/258891\/"},"modified":"2025-07-12T12:17:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T12:17:10","slug":"drivers-wont-voice-their-dislike-of-2026-f1-rules-for-political-reasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/258891\/","title":{"rendered":"Drivers won’t voice their dislike of 2026 F1 rules “for political reasons”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lance Stroll<\/a> said Formula 1\u2019s new regulations for the 2026 season are \u201ca bit sad\u201d and believes many of his rivals are unwilling to voice the same view.<\/p>\n

The new rules for next year include a switch to power units which generate up to half of their power electrically. This has been accompanied by the introduction of adjustable aerodynamics which will allow drivers to shed downforce on the straights but increase it when cornering.<\/p>\n

Stroll has already tested Aston Martin\u2019s interpretation of the rules in the team\u2019s simulator. He isn\u2019t happy next year\u2019s cars will have a lower overall downforce level as a result of the power unit changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a bit of a shame we\u2019re just \u2013 Formula 1\u2019s just \u2013 taking that path of electric energy and we\u2019ve had to shed all the downforce off the cars to support the battery power,\u201d he said. \u201cIt should be fun to see some light, nimble, fast cars with a lot of downforce and just simplify the whole thing a little bit. Less so of an energy, battery, championship, science project and more of just a Formula 1 racing championship.\u201d<\/p>\n

The FIA described next year\u2019s regulations as a \u201cnimble car concept\u201d<\/a>. However there is scepticism over whether its reduction in the minimum weight limit is achievable and how much of a difference it will make.<\/p>\n

Stroll claimed some of his rival drivers share his concerns but are unwilling to criticise next year\u2019s rules package.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a fan of the direction but if we have a fast car and we\u2019re competitive and we are doing better than everyone else, that\u2019s when you\u2019ve got nothing to complain about,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t love the idea of the regs though.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think a lot of the drivers can agree on that. Maybe some of them can\u2019t talk about it for political reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aston Martin\u2019s title sponsor is the Saudi Arabian state petrol producer Aramco, whose CEO Amin Nasser has criticised the global shift away from fossil fuels and towards green energy technologies<\/a>. \u201cI think it\u2019s exciting to think about cars that can scream a little bit louder, be a bit lighter, and not depend and focus so much on that energy, battery powertrain that\u2019s not very racy,\u201d Stroll added.<\/p>\n

Other drivers who have spoken about next year\u2019s regulations, such as Max Verstappen<\/a>, have voiced concerns that the energy regeneration, management and deployment may come to dominate the racing. \u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019s racing,\u201d said Stroll.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s going to be the same for everyone next year and it\u2019s all going to about who can do that best. I\u2019m sure whoever\u2019s doing that best is going to love the new regs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Formula 1
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