re: 2026 Formula 1 (F1) Season Thread

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It’s a big issue for the FIA."

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One after another... Sad that its come to this, but I'm hoping more and more black eyes for them that force their hand to completely overhaul regulations on an expedited timeline.

Does that read that they are overweight but only because they are using ballast to balance to the rules?

Ruh Roh

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According to the German outlet Auto Motor und Sport, preliminary discussions regarding the 2031 engine formula are already happening behind closed doors. The most notable detail emerging from the paddock is that F1 is actively considering dropping its heavy hybrid systems entirely in favor of a 2.4-liter turbocharged V8.

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Way too far away, but...

Basically "You think we're that dumb that we can't build a car that doesn't need to downshift to maintain speed/power"

Well, guess the FIA was Toto

For those without Apple+ looking for a way to watch. Joking aside this could be awesome, will prolly do so bad they never try it again tho.

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That is pretty cool

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How much are they going to charge for that shite?

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Apple TV subscribers are going to get a substantial discount, right? Right?

Why would they offer a discount to Apple TV subscribers? Because Apple TV's F1 viewers are the people who are most likely to want to attend these showings. But we have already paid them for access to watch F1. We want to go, but it doesn't make sense to pay them another $22 to see it in IMAX. Charge Apple TV subscribers $10 and it will a more interesting proposition. Otherwise, it doesn't seem like attendance will be very good. Part of the issue is marketing. It's going to be hard to reach non-Apple TV subscribers.

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They have blamed some of this on developing last years car so deep into the season but Wache might lose his job.

Here’s a great summary of issues and how complaints went:

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This is a reply to that post:

Era
@redbullbaby05

All right, buddy, let’s get the chronology right

2023 - Max is already warned about the planned 2026 rules after seeing early simulator work. He says he doesn’t like the direction, especially the heavy reliance on battery power and energy management.

2023–2025 – almost nobody else pushes back, F1 and the FIA publicly sell 2026 as greener and more electric. Most drivers and media speak about it in neutral or positive terms.

Bahrain test 2026 – first big public rant
by Max. He says the cars are “not fun” to drive, calls it more like “Formula E on steroids,” and argues that F1 should get rid of battery power. He attacks the 50/50 split and says the increased electrical dependence is anti-racing because it turns the sport into energy management instead of pure driving.

Hamilton says he needs a college degree to understand the tech part of it.

Australia 2026 – opening race under new regs. Mercedes are fastest, Ferrari are fast, Red Bull and McLaren are in trouble.

From free practice onward, Max is complaining that racing is completely dominated by battery deployment and harvesting windows. Around this phase (Australia/China), he drops the “Mario Kart” line, saying it’s not real racing anymore, just boosting past each other and then getting re-passed when the battery is empty. He says that if someone likes this, they don’t understand what racing is.

Max and Oscar crash heavily during quali and recon lap.

George is happy.

Lando finds it “funny” and “ragebaits” says Max is only moaning because he’s slow and if he wants to leave he should.

Drivers of top cars react very differently. Hamilton praises the new era’s wheel-to-wheel action and calls some of the races among the best racing he has seen.

Lando initially pushes back at Max’s negativity and basically says that if Max doesn’t like it, he can leave F1 because everyone else is enjoying the cars.

Team bosses (Toto Wolff) and a lot of media frame Max’s criticism as frustration because Red Bull are uncompetitive.

China 2026 – contrast hardens
By China, Max doubles down and repeats that the racing is like Mario Kart: you hit the boost, pass, then get re-passed when you’re out of energy. He calls it a joke and says this isn’t proper F1.

Hamilton says it’s the best racing he’s ever done.

The narrative in coverage becomes: Max hates it, Ham, Lando and George love it.

Charles isn’t entirely happy.

Lando, who originally defended the new regs and mocked Max’s stance, contradicts himself, admitting he’d said some things just to see the reaction.

Alonso calls it the “battery world championship”

Charles hates what qualifying has become

Japanese GP 2026 –

Ham vs Lando exposes the flaw
their fight makes the energy-management issue impossible to ignore.

Their duel shows how much their w2w battle depends on hybrid deployment and harvesting, not just on racecraft, braking and throttle.

Ollie has a massive crash.

Analysis after the race focuses on how the energy rules can effectively “force” a driver into certain moves or prevent them from doing what they strategically want, because the hybrid system’s behaviour and the regulations dictate when you can push or must recharge.

Lando says “it doesn’t matter what we say”
He publicly becomes much more sceptical.

Carlos and Charles publicly show their disdain.

Lando’s comments line up very closely with the same issues Max has been screaming about since Bahrain: the battery, deployment rules, and energy windows overriding driver choice.

Media tone shift after Norris’s statement, a lot of Brit-leaning analysis suddenly take the battery-over-driver issue far more seriously.

The same core criticisms that the hybrid rules are forcing artificial moves and constraining racecraft are now being discussed in detail, even though Max had been saying almost exactly this since 2023 and then relentlessly from the first 2026 test and the opening races.

Max should learn English so Brundle can understand.

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