Ask Onix
Controversial F1 rules reshape racing but raise safety and skill concerns
The 2026 Formula 1 season has delivered closer racing and more overtakes, but the sweeping rule changes have also sparked intense criticism over artificiality, driver skill dilution, and safety risks. A month-long break due to Middle East conflict offers a moment to assess the fallout from the sport's most radical overhaul in history.
Engine modes divide opinions
The new power units, featuring a 50-50 split between internal combustion and hybrid systems, introduced 'overtake' and 'boost' modes to replace the long-standing DRS system. These modes allow drivers within a second of the car ahead to harvest additional electrical energy, creating back-and-forth battles that some praise as thrilling and others dismiss as gimmicky.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has been among the harshest critics, comparing the new F1 to "a joke" and likening it to the Mario Kart video game. Others, like seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, have praised the closer competition, calling his duel with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in China "the best battle" he's had in over a decade.
"If you go back to karting, it's the same thing. People going back and forth, back and forth-you can never break away. No-one has ever referred to go-karting as yo-yo racing. It's the best form of racing, and Formula 1 has not been the best form of racing in a long, long time."
Lewis Hamilton
Qualifying loses its edge
The new regulations have fundamentally altered the challenge of qualifying, with drivers now forced to manage energy deployment rather than push flat-out. Key corners at iconic circuits like Suzuka have been reduced to "charging zones," where electrical energy recovery takes precedence over raw speed.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri described the new qualifying tactics as "counter-intuitive," while Charles Leclerc vented frustration over the radio after a session, saying: "I honestly can't stand these new rules in qualifying. I go faster in corners, I go on throttle earlier... I'm losing everything in the straight!"
Fernando Alonso labeled some corners "charging zones," and drivers are now required to "lift and coast"-easing off the throttle before turns-to optimize energy recovery. Suzuka, considered one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar, became a test case for the new rules, with drivers forced to navigate sections like the Esses and Degner corners at reduced power.
Safety fears over speed differentials
Oliver Bearman's high-speed crash at Suzuka, where he suffered a right knee contusion after a 50G impact, has intensified concerns about the safety risks posed by the new power units. The hybrid system's 350kW (470bhp) electrical output drains in just 11 seconds, creating massive speed differentials when one car is deploying energy while another is recharging.
Bearman lost control after encountering Franco Colapinto's Alpine, which was traveling over 30mph slower due to energy recovery. Drivers have warned that similar incidents on street circuits like Baku or Singapore-where escape roads are limited-could have catastrophic consequences.
"As drivers, we've been extremely vocal that the problem is not only qualifying, it's also racing. Here we were lucky there was an escape road. Now, imagine going to Baku or Singapore or Vegas and having these kind of closing speeds and crashes next to the walls."
Carlos Sainz, Williams driver and GPDA director
Complexity complicates solutions
F1's leadership is under pressure to address the issues before the Miami Grand Prix, with both short-term fixes and long-term revisions on the table. However, the rules' complexity-including "zero kilowatt zones," "power-limited periods," and restrictions on energy recovery-makes solutions elusive.
Mercedes engine chief Hywel Thomas suggested that simplifying the rules could help, but warned that changes to qualifying might inadvertently worsen racing dynamics. One proposal involves allowing full 350kW energy recovery even under full throttle, but this could increase speed differentials, further heightening safety risks.
Another idea is to remove restrictions on "straight-line mode," where wings open to maximize energy recovery. However, this could lead to drivers attempting high-speed corners with wings deployed, risking severe accidents.
Long-term fixes may require political compromise
The fundamental issue lies in the 50-50 power split, which some argue is incompatible with the current engine architecture and battery size. Adjusting the ratio in favor of internal combustion could help, but this faces opposition from teams like Mercedes, for whom the 50-50 split is a key selling point.
As F1's bosses prepare for critical meetings, the sport faces a delicate balancing act: preserving the excitement of closer racing while addressing the unintended consequences of its boldest rule change in decades.
