F1
For the paddock, bring on 2026: "I won't miss these cars."
© DPPI
At the end of each regulatory era, a sweet scent of uncertainty hangs in the air of the paddock. Who will have the best car? Which engine will be the most powerful? Who will have found that little detail that gives them an edge over their rivals? In 2026, there will be eleven places up for grabs in the Constructors' Championship. Some will be happy, others will be disappointed. Such is life. Formula 1Every time a wind of change sweeps through the pit lane, this breeze brings a new order, but also disrupts the existing order, for better or for worse. The 2021 season ended with a legendary duel between Max Verstappen et Lewis Hamilton, after a high-flying season where the hierarchy seemed closer, there was a hint of disappointment regarding the transition to a new paradigm.
This initiative, which began in 2022, has generated considerable controversy: the return of ground-effect cars has been accompanied by an increase in weight and size for F1 cars, making them more cumbersome and difficult to handle in close battles. The first few months were also plagued by porpoising problems—the incessant bouncing on the straights that caused many drivers back pain. "It was clearly more difficult for us in the car, especially with the bouncing and porpoising," notes Pierre Gasly"Our backs have taken a lot more of a beating than people can imagine! I'm glad we're moving away from that."
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Mixed years
The Frenchman's opinion is shared by his colleagues Lance stroll et Charles Leclerc. “I’m not going to miss them. The cars have been very rigid these last few years,” the Canadian grumbled. “The idea behind this rule change was to improve the on-track spectacle—I’m not sure we’ve really succeeded. They’ve become heavier, too heavy, and too harsh. Even injuries have become more frequent because of it. So, I’m probably not the biggest fan of this generation of regulations.”
"I didn't enjoy the first year, especially with all the rebounding we had — it wasn't great." Charles Leclerc agrees, while remaining rather positive about this regulation, even if it was not successful for Ferrari. “After that, things improved a bit on our end. The cars are still stiff, and I’d like them to be lighter, but overall I still enjoyed these last three seasons,” the Monegasque driver continued. “The cars have become better and faster—still extremely fast in high-speed corners. Perhaps not as enjoyable to drive as the previous generation, but I still had fun driving them.”
"In terms of handling and speed, these cars were sometimes incredible — we even broke a few lap records," approves Pierre Gasly"The feeling in fast corners is impressive, but I'm sure there are other ways to achieve this level of performance." Time will tell if the engine changes and the switch to active aerodynamics from 2026 onwards will be a positive step forward. In any case, the new regulations already foresee a reduction in the size and weight of the single-seaters, much to the delight of the drivers.
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Herve 06
07/11/2025 at 07:28 a.m.
Vincent Moyet, I did indeed write that recently. I sometimes wonder what the qualifications are of those who decide the regulations. There are, after all, extremely experienced people at the FIA. I don't understand.
vincent moyet
07/11/2025 at 11:10 a.m.
As someone here rightly pointed out, cars need to be fast on the straights and slow in the corners to be able to overtake. It's the deceleration phase that requires heavy braking and therefore offers opportunities to gain an advantage. Here again, we see a lack of understanding (or amnesia) on the part of the management: the first wing cars were banned for the same reasons: difficulties in overtaking, bottoming out, rigidity and discomfort for the drivers, and dangerous cornering speeds. We also note that the regulations are so restrictive that it's only when they change that we can hope for a change in the pecking order, whereas when they were more open, each year an engineer could bring a brilliant idea. However, there were three dominant teams in four years (Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren), and also victories for Mercedes, and these regulations were still more open than the previous ones, which had made F1 predictable and boring. Let's hope we don't relive this kind of situation.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
07/11/2025 at 09:46 a.m.
No regrets about the current ground-effect single-seaters... but the slightly less bulky 2026 single-seaters with active aerodynamics don't seem to excite them either!!
Hilton Leon
06/11/2025 at 09:33 a.m.
But none of them quit F1, the salary and perks were too good! Spoiled brats.
Herve 06
06/11/2025 at 06:44 a.m.
I never understood how those who wrote these regulations could have thought that making the cars wider would make on-track battles and overtaking easier. It's basic physics for 15-year-olds: on the same track, the wider the cars, the harder it is to overtake. And the wider a car is, the more aerodynamic turbulence it generates in its wake. It was so obvious; I anticipated it before the first lap.