'Keep calm,' says Domenicali on criticism of new F1 rules

F1 boss calls for calm amid driver criticism

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has urged calm following widespread criticism from top drivers about the sport's new 2026 technical regulations. He stated that while the series would intervene if necessary, it was important to avoid overreaction so early in the new era.

"We need to avoid overreaction because it’s just the beginning of a new journey," Domenicali said at a news conference in Bahrain. "If there is something that is useful and can be implemented straight away, I’ve seen a very open approach."

Champions slam new driving experience

The criticism has come from F1's four active world champions. Reigning champion Max Verstappen said the sport now felt "like Formula E on steroids," while Lewis Hamilton called the new rules "ridiculously complex."

Fernando Alonso claimed "the chef could drive the car" at the speed required to harvest energy in fast corners. After initially defending the cars, Lando Norris admitted his comments were a test and that the 2026 machines are "certainly not the purest form of racing."

Drivers have primarily targeted the new power units, which demand constant and complex energy management for optimal performance.

The root of the energy problem

The core issue stems from the 2026 power unit formula, which was designed to attract new manufacturers. It has succeeded, bringing in Audi and Cadillac and convincing Honda to stay.

However, the new rules have created a significant technical challenge:

• Electrical power has tripled compared to previous engines.
• Battery size remains roughly the same.
• A key energy recovery device has been removed.

This combination leaves the cars energy-starved, forcing teams and drivers to adopt "counter-intuitive" behaviors to harvest enough electrical energy. These include:

• Not accelerating flat out from the final corner before a qualifying lap.
• Lifting and coasting during a qualifying lap.
• Choosing not to use full power at the end of a lap to save energy for elsewhere.

Domenicali defends the vision and promises fixes

Domenicali defended the new direction, emphasizing its success in attracting manufacturers. "The evolution of that is natural and will become normal," he said. "I am pretty confident this will evolve in a situation that, at the end of the year, no-one will remember what we are talking about today."

He stressed that the priority for fans is the racing spectacle. "What has to be protected is having great racing, great overtaking opportunities, great challenge to the drivers to show they are best. If these points are not taken, we need to intervene."

On the energy management complaints, he was direct: "Don’t be worried about the energy management. We’re going to solve that. If we need to solve it, by the way."

Sport considers more Friday action

Beyond the technical issues, Domenicali revealed F1 is looking to introduce more sporting action on Fridays at race weekends. This expands on the concept of sprint events, which currently feature a shorter Saturday race and a second qualifying session.

"Feedback from the fans... is that people want to see action, real action during the three days," Domenicali said. "People want to see already on Friday something that is sporting - qualifying, points, whatever it is."

He has previously stated F1 is considering increasing the number of sprint weekends beyond the current six.

Drivers still central to the future

Despite the criticism, Domenicali said he values driver input, specifically mentioning his discussions with Verstappen in Bahrain. "Max wants and does care about Formula 1 more than anyone else," Domenicali said.

"Max will be part of the future of Formula 1 and of course it’s very important that we listen to him and all the top drivers that are very important in this sport."

F1's bosses will assess data from the final pre-season test in Bahrain at a future F1 Commission meeting to decide if short-term changes are needed.