Just ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton voiced his concerns about the newly unveiled F1 2026 regulations. He mentioned that while the new rules will trim 30 kilograms off the cars’ weight, it’s not enough to make them as nimble as needed.
Hamilton has yet to test the F1 2026 car in a simulator, but according to other drivers who have, the cars feel ‘quite slow.’ Hamilton praised the efforts towards sustainability in the new power units, which will feature an even split of electrical power and internal combustion using sustainable fuels. However, he emphasized that these advancements must be matched by improvements in the cars’ racing performance.
‘I mean, it’s only 30 kilos, so it’s going in the right direction, but it’s still heavy,’ Hamilton shared during a press conference. ‘I’ve spoken to some drivers who have driven it on the simulator. I haven’t, but they said it’s pretty slow. So we will see whether it’s actually the right direction or not. But I think in terms of sustainability, particularly on the power unit side, I think that’s a really bold step and I think it’s going in the right direction. We’ve just got to make sure that cars are efficient, fast, and an actual step forwards and actually racing is improved.’
Nico Hulkenberg, set to drive for Audi when the brand enters Formula 1 in 2026, echoed Hamilton’s sentiments. He downplayed the significance of the weight reduction and highlighted that a marked reduction in downforce is expected, leading to a very different driving experience compared to the current Formula 1 cars.
‘Yeah, it’s certainly quite different,’ Hulkenberg confirmed. ‘Some interesting areas and aspects. I think some that still need a bit of further work. Like Lewis said, I think the weight reduction is good, but then 30 kilos is also not the world. It looks like a lot less downforce, especially in high-speed corners. It will be quite a different scenario and characteristics to now. There’s going to be definitely a drastic change and change is always, you know, you’re not always so open to it, but we’ll see what happens between now and in the one-and-a-half years, if there might be some small adjustments or not.’
The World Motor Sport Council is set to ratify the F1 2026 regulations on June 28.
Both Hamilton and Hulkenberg expressed cautious optimism about the F1 2026 regulations but underscored the need for further improvements to ensure that the cars are not just sustainable but also deliver thrilling races. With the final ratification pending, only time will tell if the new regulations will meet the drivers’ expectations.
Source: Planetf1
