Carlos Sainz blasts 2026 rules as ‘not good enough for F1’

Carlos Sainz has urged the FIA to rethink Formula 1’s 2026 power unit regulations, warning the current formula is “not good enough” for the sport.

While a subtle tweak was introduced for qualifying in Japan, it did little but leave drivers bemoaning the need to drive more slowly to go faster, with Sainz insisting the situation is “not good enough”.

Carlos Sainz calls for change amid F1 2026 rule criticism

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The F1 2026 regulations have been plagued by teething problems, both in terms of reliability but also surrounding the racing spectacle.

While entertaining, it has been criticised as trivialising the competition with overpowered push to pass opportunities.

Drivers have also slammed the technique required to maximise the car’s performance, with Sainz insisting the need to sacrifice corner speed to charge the battery for the straights is unacceptable.

It’s a view at least partially clouded by his qualifying performance in Japan, though his opinion was not uncommon following the Saturday afternoon session.

“It seemed better going into a weekend,” Sainz said of the FIA’s move to reduce battery recharging to 8MJ per lap in qualifying from 9MJ.

“A bit disappointed into quali as the more you pushed, the slower you went.

“That’s what happened to me in Q2. I think I had a bit less slipstream in my lap, and I was in clean air.

“I went quicker in every corner, slower in every straight and I went one-tenth slower.

“That’s simply because I spent more time full throttle, because I went faster in the corners and pushed harder the high speed, pushed everywhere.”

With superclipping and lift and coast also a factor in his lap, the Spaniard went on to suggest that the situation is “not good enough, I think, for F1.”

A meeting is scheduled for after the Japanese Grand Prix weekend to discuss the regulations and how they might be tweaked in the interest of improving the show – and stemming the criticism F1 is currently receiving.

However, with political and self interests likely to play a role in that process, it’s not expected that significant changes will occur.

Sainz however suggests that it needs to, for the good of the sport.

“I don’t mind being one or two seconds lower overall,” he suggested, “and top speed, five, 10 kilometres down, if the deployment and the energy is more consistent and allows it to push through.

“Honestly, 350 kilowatts on top of the ICE (internal combustion engine), for me, it’s almost too much in some areas.

“For some circuits, it would be too much. Also, from a safety standpoint; wet; I’m not sure this 350(kW) is actually needed.

“If you’re going to have this deployment and then losing the speed, I think it’s better to almost flatter, a more conservative deployment, but something that allows the driver to drive a bit more normally.”

More on F1 2026 criticisms

‘This is not racing’: Max Verstappen tears into F1 2026 rules after China
‘It’s just making us slower’: Oliver Bearman hits out at FIA Suzuka tweak

Changes for the Japanese GP suggested there is appetite and willingness from all the stakeholders in F1 to cooperate when it comes to rule refinement.

The energy adjustment for qualifying in Suzuka was, however, comparatively minor and is not likely to have a significant impact on the race itself.

More significant changes are likely to meet with resistance at the F1 Commission, where changes for the current season require unanimous approval.

“We were listening to Tim (Malyon, FIA sporting director) and the FIA yesterday, Nikolas (Tombazis, FIA head of single seaters). They seem to be pushing (and) have a plan in mind.

“I’m a bit worried that the teams will push back. Some teams will be against changing it too much, because they have other interests, but I think we’ve made it very clear from the drivers that it needs to get better.”

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