Many F1 drivers, including Max Verstappen, have already questioned the 2026 regulations. More electric power and a strong focus on energy management would undermine the core values of the sport. The old guard is also resisting the new F1 era; where Bernie Ecclestone previously expressed criticism of the new rules, Alpine top advisor Flavio Briatore is now also weighing in.
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“With the complexity of energy management, Formula 1 risks taking a significant step backwards,” he told the Japanese branch of Motorsport.com. “It is simply a waste of technical effort. Moreover, the fans won’t understand any of it.” According to Briatore, the drivers are also in uncharted territory. “For them, it has become a completely different sport,” he warned.
Parallels with Formula E
Max Verstappen previously called the new cars ‘Formula E on steroids’, because Formula 1 relies heavily on the use of electrification and battery recharging. Briatore also drew parallels with the electric relative of the premier class. “Look at Formula E,” he continued sharply. “Lucas di Grassi won the championship when he was around 50. F1 drivers have tried to drive those cars, but it proved impossible. Why? Because driving those cars is more like a technical experiment. That is exactly where Formula 1 is heading now; normally you have to accelerate to overtake, but soon you will have to lift off the throttle.”
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The Alpine top executive’s comments should be taken with a grain of salt. For instance, Di Grassi was 32 years old when he won the Formula E championship, not 50. Additionally, Briatore does have admiration for the commercial growth of Formula 1, which has reached new heights in recent years. “The commercial progress is stunning,” he admitted. “Ten years ago, we had to make so many sales calls that our fingers hurt. Now, companies are lining up. It has become a completely different sport, but we must protect the racing and the sound of the engines,” he emphasized strongly. “That is, after all, Formula 1.”
View the 2026 F1 calendar here
