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George Russell has claimed that Lewis Hamilton made a ‘great point’ about the brand new Formula 1 regulations.
From 2026, F1 cars are smaller, lighter and much more reliant on battery power, which the FIA believed would produce greater on-track action.
However, the new regulations have been hit with criticism, with Max Verstappen claiming they are ‘anti-driving’.
The Dutchman has also compared the new era of F1 to ‘Mario Kart’, and following the Japanese Grand Prix, it was reported that Verstappen could step away from F1 at the end of the 2026 campaign.
Who is the greater driver Max Verstappen or Michael Schumacher?
A huge decision , but who takes it? 👇
George Russell disagrees with criticism directed at F1’s 2026 regulations
Speaking recently on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Russell was asked about the criticism directed towards the new regulations.
The 28-year-old stated that he does not share the same views as some of his fellow drivers, including Verstappen’s ‘Mario Kart’ comment.
Russell went on to reveal a ‘great point’ Hamilton made that proves the 2026 regulations are good.
He said: “I definitely don’t share that at all. I’m personally really enjoying the car. The power unit and the engine are definitely different. And it just needs some fine-tuning to really optimise it.
“But it’s given an opportunity to battle harder, and back-and-forth racing. We’re here at a kart track now. And Lewis made a great point – in a kart race, you overtake one corner, he overtakes back. And they overtake again.
“And no one’s ever called that Mario Kart or yo-yo racing or whatever the terminology is. We actually call it pure racing and great racing. It’s easy to highlight things we don’t like and forget about a lot of the goodness of it.”
Should F1 make small tweaks to the rules, rather than major changes?
READ MORE: George Russell says rival teams could ‘close the gap’ to Mercedes after the Miami Grand Prix
George Russell says upcoming changes will make life easier
Following some minor tweaks which were announced ahead of F1’s return next week, Russell believes they will make life much easier.
He said: “Anybody who thinks drivers are going slow in corners to be faster on the straights is wrong.
“There are some small quirks, which the FIA have done their best to eradicate those quirks. These are details that are sort of so complicated, and honestly, fans don’t really need to understand.
“From this race forward, with these minor changes the sport are making, it will make our life easier. We’ll be flat out in the straights on a qualifying lap, and we won’t have to lift off to manage any of the energy.”
Amid all the criticism, next week’s Miami Grand Prix will be the first opportunity for the FIA to test whether the changes have worked as intended.
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