Carlos Sainz has made a strong assessment of the performance of the 2026 Formula 1 vehicles during the Belgian Grand Prix, questioning the reasons why the regulations could be accepted as they are, based on the simulations produced a few seasons ago. Complaints about the energy management aspect of the current vehicles have been expressed recurrently throughout the season. Although the level of dissent had decreased somewhat after the changes in deployment rules in Miami, the recent races in Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps have highlighted some of the most significant limitations of these regulations.
The wealth of medium-high speed corners and the long straights of both circuits have caused a lack of options to recharge the vehicles’ batteries. Even though the worst diagnoses of lift-and-coast have been eliminated thanks to modifications in electric power and the expansion of superclipping, the vehicles still run out of energy at the end of acceleration zones. This becomes especially evident at the end of Blanchimont, where vehicles lose about 50 km/h simply due to the loss of electric power from the MGU-K. When comparing Lando Norris’s podium lap from last season with Kimi Antonelli’s lap from 2026, the vehicles are also capable of losing up to 40 km/h through Pouhon, as teams avoid using power in the high-speed double left. Norris made a slight lift to enter the corner last year; now it is completely flat at lower speeds.
Sainz admitted he was cautious about ‘undermining my own sport’ with more complaints, but nevertheless continued to question the technical structure of the regulations detailed four years ago. ‘I think no one enjoys qualifying laps as much as we did last year,’ Sainz said. ‘I think it’s clear that we’ve lost power with these vehicles at Spa. On the other hand, I don’t want to keep undermining my own sport because it will be of no use. We all know this is not enough.
‘This has to change. It will change. It will evolve. But yes, I hope next year is a better step and the following year another better step. But what I’m saying is that anyone who saw these simulations in 2022, 2023 and looks at this and says, how can we accept this? They need to review what happened because otherwise, it shouldn’t have happened. But now we are here, we have exciting races and the sport continues to grow, so it’s time to move forward.’
The Spanish driver expected a ‘nerve-wracking’ race start, especially with the use of active aerodynamics along the Kemmel Straight near other vehicles. He believes it will not be easy to gain positions on the first lap, where he will start 14th alongside Norris, who has been penalized but set the third-best qualifying time. ‘It will be a complicated thing,’ Sainz added. ‘I think it will be a big challenge. The first lap will also be nerve-wracking going up Eau Rouge and in SLM [Straight Line Mode] and everything that happens up there. But we will see. Trying to listen, be smart, and play your cards. We will see.’ When Sainz’s comments were relayed to Lewis Hamilton, he agreed, adding that teams and drivers had anticipated the issues immediately. ‘It just doesn’t work well on the straights, but through the corners the vehicles are fantastic. It’s just that in a straight line it’s not very pleasant,’ Hamilton reflected. ‘I’m pretty sure we saw it immediately. I don’t know who made the decision, but whoever it is still has work to do.’
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
