NO FREEDOM: FERNANDO ALONSO CLAIMS 2026 OVER-REGULATION IS KILLING DRIVER IMPACT IN THE COCKPIT.
Fernando Alonso labels 2026 F1 energy management as "annoying" after a tough Barcelona shakedown. Is the AMR26 already in trouble?
Fernando Alonso has seen more rule changes than anyone else on the Formula 1 grid. He started in 2001—so long ago that out of this year’s eleven teams, only three even existed in their current form. Back then, Aston Martin was still called Jordan, and Alonso drove for Minardi, which is now Racing Bulls.
Now, with the 2026 regulations on the horizon, Alonso and his team boss, Adrian Newey,y face the biggest shake-up of their careers. Aston Martin has already tried some pretty wild ideas this season to get the best out of the car, but there’s already some worry about Honda’s power unit after the Barcelona shakedown.
These new rules are going to change how drivers race each other, no question. Alonso’s already said one part of the update is bugging him as he heads into pre-season testing.
He told MARCA that managing energy in 2026 is going to be “a bit annoying” this year. Alonso explained, “Every set of rules has its quirks, and you have to change how you drive with each car. But this one’s pretty drastic. You need to manage energy through the whole lap, even in qualifying, when you’re supposed to be pushing flat out. That’s going to be annoying from a driver’s point of view.”
He went on, “You really have to think more now. When I drove in IndyCar, most of the race was about saving fuel. In WEC, it was all about energy management along with hybrids and traffic. But in the end, it’s racing. You go when the lightturngo green and stop at the flag. You get used to it fast. At first, you wish you could just drive flat-out, but F1’s gone this way, and these hybrids need that kind of management. We’ll get the hang of it.”
Alonso also said F1 probably isn’t ever going back to the 1990s or 2000s, which he thinks was the sport’s golden era. He hasn’t quite decided if that’s good or bad yet.
He’s worried about over-regulation too, especially as the 2026 engines might force cars to stop accelerating halfway down the straight. Sure, overtake modes and boost buttons could make things more exciting, but Alonso thinks it’s gotten complicated. “You have to plan more before you get in the car or try to overtake, but honestly, the teams are prepared. They run all the simulations, so by Sunday, there aren’t many surprises or big mistakes left for drivers to make.”
He added, “There isn’t much freedom anymore for what you do in the cockpit or how much energy you can use. The FIA really restricts it. You have to reduce power in a certain way, and when you want to use extra energy, you don’t get more than the car in front. We all deploy max energy for a second out of the corner, so honestly, there’s not much you can do. It’s over-regulated, and the differences between drivers are going to be tiny.”
Aston Martin showed up late in Barcelona, but the word isthat thee second half of their season should look a lot better than the start.
As for how long Alonso will keep racing, that’s anyone’s guess. He says it depends on how competitive Aston Martin can be—and whether he actually enjoys racing under these new rules.
CHARLES LECLERC EXPLAIN WHY 2026 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING FEELS "TOTALLY DIFFERENT" NOW
Charles Leclerc warns that the 2026 F1 battery rules are ruining the thrill of qualifying despite Ferrari’s strong start.
Charles Leclerc isn’t too happy about how the new Formula 1 rules have changed the excitement in qualifying for 2026.
He and Ferrari are off to a strong start this season, sitting comfortably behind Mercedes as the second-quickest car. Ferrari has figured out the new technical regulations pretty well; their smaller turbo and powerful battery are keeping them right up at the front.
But people in and out of the paddock are still worried about what these new rules are doing to the racing. Some feel the action on track is starting to look a bit fake.
Leclerc doesn’t totally agree with that. He thinks teams are just learning to use their batteries better, and knowledge is driving that change.
“I actually enjoy it,” Leclerc told reporters. “From inside the car, it doesn’t feel artificial. Sure, sometimes overtakes look a bit forced, like when someone screws up with battery management and suddenly loses a ton of speed, but honestly, we’re all figuring out when to push and when to play it safe. That’s making for some pretty fun overtaking spots.”
Now, as for the qualifying session? Leclerc admits that’s where he has bigger concerns. Take the Chinese Grand Prix, for example: there were overtakes everywhere, and drivers, Leclerc included, felt more confident handling the car. Still, he says the racing style isn’t quite what Formula 1 should be.
“The smaller, lighter cars are more agile, and it’s easier to go around the outside,” he said. “They’re not the super high-downforce machines we used to have. But we need to make qualifying feel more like Formula 1 again. Something is missing. If we work on it, we’ll figure it out.”
Leclerc’s worried that the new rules, especially the way battery deployment works, are messing up the thrill of push laps in qualifying. With Suzuka’s technical corners coming up, those battery issues could make the qualifying spectacle feel even less special.
MAX VERSTAPPEN DISQUALIFIED FROM NLS2 WIN AFTER SURPASSING TYRE SET LIMITS
Max Verstappen was disqualified from his NLS2 victory at the Nurburgring after his team used seven sets of tyres.
What initially seemed like another highlight in Max Verstappen’s expanding endurance racing journey ended harshly and unexpectedly. Hours after crossing the finish line at the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) race, the four-time Formula 1 world champion was disqualified.
Verstappen, driving alongside Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, had taken the chequered flag first in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the 58th ADAC Barbarossapreis, the second round of the 2026 NLS season. However, their celebration was short-lived. About two hours later, race officials announced the car’s disqualification due to a violation of tyre rules. This handed the victory to Dan Harper and Jordan Pepper in the BMW M4 GT3 for ROWE Racing instead.
The decision came after the usual post-race inspection, where data from the series’ tyre monitoring system revealed that the team had used seven sets of tyres, surpassing the six-set limit imposed by NLS regulations. Faced with these facts, race stewards had little choice but to exclude the team from the final standings.
Christian Hohenadel, team principal of Winward Racing, expressed the sting of the disqualification. He acknowledged a team error behind the incident and apologised to supporters, emphasising their intent to analyse what happened and prepare more carefully for future races. “This was our debut as a Mercedes-AMG Performance team on the Nordschleife,” he noted.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Verstappen’s performance on track was hard to ignore. With over 130 cars competing and around 25,000 fans in attendance, the Dutch driver stood out during qualifying, securing pole with a lap time of 7:51.751. Verstappen himself described pole position as a pleasant surprise, especially since he finally managed a clean lap free of traffic.
The race featured intense battling at the front. Christopher Haase pushed early and briefly took the lead, but the Mercedes eventually re-established control. Further behind, ROWE Racing capitalised on a strong strategy, moving up from seventh to claim the win once the disqualification was enforced.
Jordan Pepper remarked on Verstappen’s presence, calling it great for the sport and recognising him as a consummate professional who challenges competitors.
The NLS2 event delivered excitement beyond the lead. Falken Motorsports climbed from tenth to a podium spot, while 48 LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON enjoyed a revised classification that gave them a top-three finish and victory in the PRO-AM class. Smyrlis Racing took charge of the CUP3 category, and PROsport Racing secured the win in SP10 with its Mercedes-AMG GT4. In the VT2-RWD class, SRS Team Sorg Rennsport earned victory with their Toyota Supra after a tight contest.
Although the final result worked against him, Verstappen’s display reaffirmed his adaptability beyond the confines of Formula 1 machines. Reflecting on the challenge of the Nordschleife, he called it one of the wildest circuits out there and expressed a clear desire to race there as often as possible.
Looking ahead, the next NLS round is scheduled for April 11, as Verstappen continues preparations for the renowned 24 Hours of Nürburgring, where he is expected to compete again. For now, what might have been another celebration at the Nordschleife serves as a reminder of how unforgiving endurance racing’s regulations can be.
