Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Sebastian Vettel has backed current drivers’ criticism of Formula 1’s 2026 regulations, saying the new cars may be enjoyable to drive but risk producing racing that loses “the DNA and the heart of the sport.”
Speaking to Sweden’s SVT ahead of the Perfect World Foundation Awards, the four-time world champion said he shared the concerns already voiced from inside the paddock as F1 prepares to introduce a set of rule refinements from the Miami Grand Prix.
“From a sporting side I hear and I echo some of the criticism,” Vettel said. “The cars are probably fun to drive, but it's not so much fun to race because of the regulations and the difficulties that come with that.”
That goes to the center of the debate around the 2026 package. The FIA confirmed earlier this week that all parties had agreed to changes for Miami, including a reduction in the total energy limit from 8MJ to 7MJ and an increase in permitted super-clipping from 250kW to 350kW. The aim is to reduce lift-and-coast, limit reliance on super-clipping and give drivers more scope to attack.
Vettel made clear that any technical fix has to preserve what he sees as the sport’s basic competitive test. “So, I sympathise with the drivers,” he said. “It's very critical not to lose the DNA and the heart of the sport, which is finding the fastest driver, and the fastest machine to win the race.”
He said he had seen the changes only “briefly,” but hopes they address the sporting problem rather than just adjust the numbers. Vettel said the real measure will be whether drivers feel more engaged behind the wheel, because that is what ultimately shapes the spectacle.
“I hope from a sporting view, that's what they're trying to address, it makes the drivers happier, because ultimately the drivers are the face of the sport,” he said. “When they come out of the car and they're full of adrenaline and very excited, it's what makes people excited on the screens, and in the stands as well.”
That leaves Miami as an early test of whether the FIA’s revisions can answer the complaints without changing the principle Vettel says F1 cannot afford to lose.