Formula One has always been considered the spearhead of motorsport, the championship where technology was pushed to the extreme to create increasingly faster and more efficient car prototypes. If today we have ABS, disc brakes, and the concepts of aerodynamics and electronics, it is because of the innovation Formula One created. This was true until the 2025 season.

The year 2026 will be immortalized in Formula One history books as a chaotic and highly controversial year. Perhaps the most chaotic I have ever experienced. I have followed Formula One since back in 2000, and in these 26 years, I have never seen so much disappointment and detachment between fans and Formula One itself.

My question now is not so much about what can be done, given that I am not an engineer who knows the cars perfectly. What I ask myself is: how did we arrive at this point?

Before 2014.

Formula One before 2014 was a competition that focused solely on performance. Certainly, we moved from the V10s of the early 2000s to the V8s of 2007 for reasons of consumption. However, these two versions of engines had two precise characteristics: they created a song that made you deaf, but was damn satisfying, and a terrifying fuel consumption. The only objective of all teams, and especially engine manufacturers, was to create engines that were efficient from a performance standpoint. No one cared about burning three or four liters of fuel per lap. What mattered was the final position at the checkered flag or after a tightly contested qualifying session.

If, on one hand, those engines were beautiful to hear and see, on the other hand, they were counter-trend to what was happening in the world. The world had realized that burning oil was damn polluting and that this pollution was leading the world toward a drift that would make life on Earth difficult, if not impossible.

The image of Formula One was suffering for it. One could not burn fuel without any restraint while the world was trying in every way to limit and finally eliminate the combustion of gas and oil to produce energy (both electrical and kinetic).

2014 - 2025:

The Hybrid Turbo Engine.

In the final years of the V8 era, the FIA and Formula One decided to follow the global trend which, in that period, was trying to understand if electrical energy could be a way to power the world and cars.

Thus, the two organizations found a way to follow the trend: Formula One engine manufacturers committed to creating a V6 turbo engine that integrated electrical energy as a power source. What came out of it was something ugly at first, then magnificent toward the end.

The hybrid V6 turbo engine was, in its 2024–2025 version, absolutely a perfect machine for efficiency. It was much more powerful than the V8 engine and was a perfect balance between a thermal engine and an electric motor. The concept of that "power unit" was brilliant: on one side you had a V6 pushing through combustion, on the other side you had a sophisticated mechanism (via MGU-H and MGU-K) capable of recovering energy from both heat and kinetics to constantly power the battery, which worked in tandem with the V6 engine. It was an incredible piece of engineering where nothing was wasted and everything was converted into energy to make a car go 330 km/h. Furthermore, the power distribution (70% thermal engine, 30% battery) made that engine very efficient, as the car needed less fuel thanks to the battery providing what was missing.

In ten years, those engines became damn efficient with very low energy loss levels, managing to recover everything that was "lost."

Ego Enters the Conversation.

Everything was going perfectly, except for one small detail: few engine manufacturers. Until 2025, Formula One had Ferrari, Mercedes, Honda, and Renault producing engines. In theory, four manufacturers could be sufficient, given that in IndyCar there are only two: Chevrolet and Honda. Certainly, a different championship concept, but it was proof that two manufacturers can create an entertaining championship.

But Formula One has always been a competition where ego reigns supreme. For years, since hybrid technology was introduced, some manufacturers (Audi at the forefront) were winking at Formula One. Unfortunately, for years nothing happened because, for potential manufacturers, "the thermal/electric power distribution was not sufficient."

Formula One, not wanting to lose the opportunity to bring in new constructors, decided to change the regulations. Thus, in 2022, the FIA and Formula One introduced the new technical regulations, valid from 2026 onward.

The regulation provided for an engine that was split 50-50. The basic idea was that the thermal engine guaranteed half the power, while the battery provided the other 50 percent. On paper, it sounds very much like something revolutionary in line with the global electric trend. This division allowed constructors like Audi, Ford, and Cadillac to enter Formula One. The funny thing is that Formula One has always sold these new regulations as a step forward toward their "Carbon Zero 2030" target—to be climate neutral by 2030. We all know that this change has nothing to do with the climate. The climate is just a side effect. This change was dictated by Audi, Ford, and Cadillac as a condition for entering Formula One.

On paper, according to Formula One itself, everything seemed exciting: new technologies, new cars, and three new constructors. It really seemed like 2026 was going to be something wonderful. Spoiler: absolutely not.

The Discontent of the Drivers.

Once the regulation was also accepted by the teams, they immediately set to work designing entirely new engines.

In the early stages, it involved studying the concept on the simulator and understanding how to approach the work for the creation of the engine and, especially, the battery. In those simulation sessions, the various Formula One drivers tested what would be the future of the competition.

What became known, besides various unfounded rumors, was something very peculiar: all the drivers from all the teams spoke of a horrible situation every time they were asked how the new engines were. Max Verstappen, the most vocal of all, stated as early as 2023 that the batteries drained immediately and on the straights the cars slowed down on their own, even if the driver was flat on the accelerator, because the engine software had to make the battery recover energy.

Even constructors, such as Ferrari and Ford, showed perplexities and weak points that had to be modified. To the request from part of the manufacturers to review and eventually change the regulations, the FIA responded: "No, the regulation is fine! Design the engines better and adapt."

In itself, the FIA's response was also adequate: no one had actually driven those engines yet and they were only talking about computer simulations. Furthermore, there were still more than two years to go. Maybe things would have sorted themselves out.

In the meantime, the 2023, 2024, and 2025 championships went smoothly and everything worked great.

2026.

And so we arrive at 2026. 2026 did not start well at all. Already in January, one could smell the stench of failure.

For this season, Formula One decided to organize nine days of pre-season testing, compared to the normal six, given that the new Power Units had to be tested. These were three days in Barcelona and six days in Bahrain.

The truly strange thing was that the three days in Barcelona were completely closed to journalists. No one knew what was happening in those three days: no times, no data, nothing at all. Police even patrolled around the circuit to prevent the most curious from seeing and filming what was happening.

The entire Formula One community, as well as the journalists, wondered: what sense does it make to purposely obscure the tests of the new cars, which Formula One itself claimed to be proud of, if you have nothing to hide?

Evidently, something was not right. What emerged from the official statements of the Teams in Barcelona was that "the cars were reliable." There was talk of Mercedes and Ferrari grinding out kilometers, reliable cars, and excellent lap times. It was as if everything were perfect. For a moment, we all lowered our guard, thinking that Formula One was just being over-cautious.

However, things became suspicious again when it was discovered that not only were the Barcelona tests obscured, but the first tre days of Bahrain were also almost obscured, albeit partially. Journalists were present, but television stations could only broadcast the final hour of the day. Practically, out of nine days of testing, the public was able to see only three complete ones.

The three days in Bahrain with total media coverage showed cars that were, all in all, fast. It seemed almost as if no one had problems of any kind. However, it was noted how the battery drained too quickly and took time to recharge. But, given the lap times, everyone thought that everything was at least decent.

The Drama of Super Clipping.

Finally, we arrive in Melbourne, the first race of the season, and there all the chickens came home to roost immediately. It was like throwing an electric wire into a pond and seeing all the dead fish immediately float to the surface. Those damn batteries drained after only five or six seconds, and on the long "straight" between turns 8 and 9 (which in Melbourne is a nearly kilometer-long stretch that curves), the cars lost 50 kilometers per hour of speed at the end of it, even if the driver was with the accelerator totally floored. This happened with all the cars. It was immediately understood that it was not an engine problem, but a regulation problem.

What was discovered is that the batteries were not powerful enough to guarantee those roughly 500 horsepower—necessary to have the 1000 total horsepower the power unit could generate—for the entire duration of the straights. On circuits with long straights, like Melbourne, the batteries would provide power only in the first phase of acceleration and then suddenly let go, causing the car to slow down.

Qualifying was a colossal disaster, with drivers on the straights downshifting while being in full acceleration. They themselves candidly stated that "one went fast by going slow." Which is an insult, considering that qualifying must be a lap at the limit, where one thinks only of going fast and not of managing the battery.

The race was also pleasant and "full of overtakes" in the first part, but those overtakes happened only because the car in front was out of battery and the one behind had a charged battery. They weren't even duels, because the one in front couldn't even defend. We saw action, but only because whoever was in front was suddenly a snail.

The discontent was violent on social media, so much so that Formula One itself on Instagram censored negative comments, without exception, under a post celebrating the record for overtakes in the Grand Prix. This infuriated the fans even more.

If you think that in the two following races in Shanghai and Suzuka the situation improved, you are mistaken. In China, with many braking zones, the battery was a problem but not a gigantic one, so the controversies slightly faded. At Suzuka, it was delirium. The famous 130R curve, which for the last twenty years has always been taken flat out at more than 320 km/h under full acceleration, in 2026 was taken at 270 km/h while the car slowed down on its own. Qualifying was a disaster just like in Australia. Even drivers like Leclerc said, "these cars penalize you if you go fast."

The Stupid Hubris of the FIA.

Until before the first Grand Prix, the FIA reiterated that the regulation was perfect and that the teams just needed time to improve the engines. What was discovered during the first Grands Prix is that the problem lies in the regulation. A battery of this type will never be able to guarantee 500 horsepower forever.

At that point, given the anger of the manufacturers, the drivers, and the wrath of the fans, the FIA organized meetings for April to decide what to do to make the spectacle less indecorous, because there is simply no talk of a "good spectacle" for 2026. There are various proposals; we will see what is decided.

However, the fact remains that the hubris of the FIA is disgusting. For years drivers said this engine concept would never work, yet the FIA always denied the evidence that reality brought forward. Now they find themselves with a bomb that has exploded in their hands.

Final Reflections.

All this drama happened because Formula One wanted to include more manufacturers just to say "we are too cool." Audi, Cadillac, and Ford set unacceptable conditions that today's Formula One should not have accepted, but it is too attracted to money and prestige that it could not say no. Often, less is more. With the benefit of hindsight, we should have either stayed with the old engines—more complicated but perfect—or moved to V8s with sustainable fuels. Three "electric" manufacturers would not have joined Formula One, but perhaps others would have. Do we prefer a grid with six manufacturers going half-throttle or four manufacturers who are actually racing?

Now it is only a matter of limiting the image damage, which is significant.

M.