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.
HEALTH CRISIS: ALONSO FACES EARLY RETIREMENT AS NERVE DAMAGE RISK SHAKES ASTON MARTIN PROJECT
Fernando Alonso faces a shock mid-season retirement as Adrian Newey warns of permanent nerve damage from Honda vibrations.
There’s talk that Fernando Alonso could get pushed to retire from Formula 1 before the season’s even over, all thanks to some pretty serious pain in his neck and left wrist. That’s according to a journalist who’s been following the situation closely.
Alonso turns 45 this June, and he’s now in his fifth year with Aston Martin. But things aren’t going smoothly. Right now, the team can’t even finish a full race because their Honda power unit shakes so much that it’s messing up Alonso’s and Lance Stroll’s wrists.
Adrian Newey, who runs the team and handles their technical direction, didn’t sugarcoat it back in Australia. He said those vibrations are bad enough to risk permanent nerve damage if the drivers stay out too long. Alonso’s limited to 25 laps in a row, and Stroll’s even worse off; he can only handle 15.
Race day in Melbourne turned out to be a bit better, at least for Stroll. He managed 43 out of 58 laps before heading back to the garage. But he only got to race after missing qualifying because of an engine problem.
Alonso had a wild start, jumping up seven spots to 10th place on the first lap using soft tyres, but he dropped back later. He came into the garage twice during the race. The team thought he’d have to retire early, but they got him back out there, only for another problem to stop him for good. Twenty-one laps, and that was it for Alonso in Melbourne.
Even so, Alonso’s still talking positively about the rest of the 2026 season, though he admits fixing the car really depends on Honda.
But on Radio Marca’s ‘La Tribu', Spanish journalist Emilio Perez de Rozas said Alonso is struggling with “significant discomfort” in the car. He even suggested doctors might tell him to retire during the season. Perez de Rozas didn’t mince words: “The project is currently an absolute fiasco. We’ll see if they recommend he stop and if he might retire.”
SPORTbible reached out to Alonso’s management, A14 Management, for a statement.
After the Australian Grand Prix, Alonso said he expects Aston Martin’s problems to be just as bad at the next race in China, and he explained that the team needs more time to figure things out. “It’s not the best feeling driving with this level of vibrations,” he said. Honda thinks they’ve reduced battery vibrations since Bahrain by making some changes, but the chassis hasn’t improved; they still need to isolate the battery differently. Alonso said it’ll take a bit longer, but they’re doing all they can, putting in as many laps as possible to help the team.
CHECO RETURNS: SERGIO PEREZ OFFICIALLY DEBUTS FOR CADILLAC AT THE 2026 AUSTRALIAN GP
A new era for Checo: Get the report on Perez’s Red Bull exit, his year away, and his partnership with Bottas at Cadillac Racing.
Sergio Perez looks like a new man. He’s back in Formula 1 after a year away, and honestly, he seems more alive than he ever was at Red Bull. Now he’s rolling with Cadillac, who are making its debut in the sport, and you can see the energy in him; he’s excited, refreshed, and just really happy to be back.
People have been talking about his age and the time he spent away from racing, but Perez isn’t worried. He believes in what Cadillac can do, and he’s clear about what he can bring to the table. Sure, his pre-season testing didn’t exactly blow anyone away, but that’s not stopping him. After a rough stint at Red Bull, he’s ready to chase success all over again.
The pressure of Red Bull is gone, and you can tell. Anthony Davidson noticed it too. On Ted Kravitz’s Melbourne Podbook, Davidson mentioned seeing Perez smile in a way he hadn’t since before Red Bull. That says a lot. The Red Bull years really took it out of him.
Davidson said, “I haven’t seen that smile on Checo’s face in a long time. I think since before he joined Red Bull. So it’s great to see both drivers happy.” And it’s not just Perez; Rachel Brookes pointed out that his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, was also in great spirits during the media day. Bottas even joked about his championship picks, saying Fernando, Lance, and George, because, according to him, they were all sandbagging.
Brookes added that Bottas is in such a good mood now, and taking that year away really gave him a new appreciation for the sport. It’s brought out a whole new energy in him.
So here they are: Perez and Bottas, lining up for Cadillac’s first season in F1. No one’s expecting them to win a bunch of races or stand on the podium every weekend, but their job is huge. Being the first drivers for a brand-new team is a massive challenge, and they’ve got to prove that both they and Cadillac have what it takes.
Their main goal? Get points as often as possible. Perez probably feels the pressure a bit more than Bottas, but both know what’s expected of them. Cadillac wants to make a splash in its debut season, and everything depends on how Perez and Bottas perform. They’re front and centre for whatever success comes Cadillac’s way.
