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Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso have shared similar viewpoints over F1’s changes to the 2026 regulations ahead of the Miami Grand Prix this weekend.
Both drivers have been staunch critics of Formula 1’s new era ever since getting into the cockpits of their respective challengers for the 2026 campaign.
Alonso labelled the new ruleset as ‘annoying’ during pre-season, largely due to the amount of energy management that he was expecting to be necessary with the new engine formula that boasts a 50/50 split between electrical and combustion power.
Should F1 make small tweaks to the rules, rather than major changes?
While Verstappen was more colourful with his verdict, the sentiment was the same as Alonso’s. The Red Bull star likened the regulations to ‘Formula E on steroids’, a comment that landed him in hot water with F1’s top brass.
Now, ahead of the Miami Grand Prix this weekend, F1 announced that a series of changes will be made to the technical regulations in light of driver feedback from the first three rounds of the season, and both drivers have had their say on the matter.
Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso want more changes from F1 regarding 2026 regulations
During their Thursday afternoon media duties at the Miami Grand Prix, Alonso and Verstappen were in agreement over F1’s latest amendments to the technical regulations.
Speaking via Sky Sports, the two world champions believe the changes simply aren’t enough, with Verstappen urging the sport’s bosses to make even bigger ones ahead of the 2027 season.
He said, “It’s a tickle in the right direction, but hopefully for next year we can make bigger changes.”
Due to complaints over the amount of lico (lift and coast) necessary over a single lap, the FIA have increased the maximum power for super clipping (where the battery harvests electrical energy while the car is still at full throttle) from 250kW to 350kW.
Share one thing you love about the 2026 F1 regulations!
The maximum permitted energy recharge in qualifying has also been lowered from 8MJ to 7MJ, and a new system has been added to the MGU-K to alleviate some safety concerns at race starts, which is expected to aid Kimi Antonelli more than anyone else.
However, Alonso’s ultimate verdict on the matter is that the changes just aren’t enough, saying, “I think some tweaks were needed after the first three races, and this is the first step.
“My personal opinion? I think we all have a different one, but maybe we needed more, maybe they are not enough.”
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Lewis Hamilton issues ‘pretty similar’ verdict on F1’s rule changes after simulator test
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was also asked for his thoughts inside the media pen on Thursday. During pre-season testing, Hamilton was a leading figure who raised concerns over the amount of necessary lico.
In terms of his first impressions on the changes to the regulations, he stated that things felt ‘pretty similar’ when testing them out on Ferrari’s simulator in Maranello.
He told journalists, “I don’t really know the difference it’s going to make in terms of how it affects us all racing. I’m honestly not sure how big a step it’s going to be, I don’t know.
“We’ll find out whether it’s big enough or not. We’ve obviously tried it on the sim, and it feels pretty similar to me.”
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