F1 boss responds to drivers’ concerns about 2026 rules

F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali has responded to driver complaints and fears about the all-new 2026 cars.

One of the biggest regulation overhauls in history is taking place next year with F1 taking the unusual step of changing both chassis and power units.

Several F1 drivers have already voiced some concerns after experiencing early models of the virtual version of the 2026 cars on the simulator, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc expressing worries that the new generation will be “less enjoyable” to drive.

But Domenicali stressed he is “absolutely not” concerned about the new era of F1.

"We don't have to forget that there are two approaches on new regulations," Domenicali told The Race. "One is tactical, and the teams are playing that game…and this leads to certain comments and views being made.

"They have some purpose to that [which] is not really the one that we believe, and is the one that is taking them to make some comments.

"The second is because it's still on an evolution path. I remember that the real discussion that we had with the FIA and the teams and the drivers at the beginning of the year, already today is totally different.

"So before even starting the new regulation, there is an evolution of things that go in the right direction.

"And where, at the beginning, I was hearing 'lift and coast, lift and coast', already today this argument is almost fading away.

"It's still there in maybe two, or three situations, but I'm pretty convinced that the relation is there between the teams and the FIA, because they are the one that, at the end of the day, needs to make sure that this adjustment of regulation will be solved.”

F1 needs to embrace open-mindset

Domenicali urged F1 to not “overreact” and embrace an open-mindset regarding the looming regulation shake-up.

"The mindset is to be open to understand what is happening,” the Italian added.

"Today there are so many theories that everything is possible. The right thing to do is, first of all, not to overreact, because we have seen in our experience of F1...that sometimes there has been always an overcautious approach and things have developed in different ways.

"So I would say, let's wait and see where we are. And then if there is the need to make some adjustment, we don't have to do it straight away.

"There is the time to wait a little bit to make sure that we understand exactly what we're talking about.

"There could be already, potentially, some teams or manufacturers that are thinking how to evolve the development of the car, taking the benefit of the new regulations.

"So the approach will be always to be curious. There will be an incredible attention of the first race of the year….but it is right to say that there is the need to give the right time and the right discussion with the FIA and the teams, to see if there are some big things that we are missing."