F1 2026

F1 2026 cars now have hazard warning lights, and Ted Kravitz hates it

Sheona Mountford Tuesday 27 January 2026 22:49

Ted Kravitz stands in the pitlane at the Las Vegas GP

Sky Sports F1 pundit Ted Kravitz isn't too keen on one new feature of the 2026 cars - their hazard lights.

A flashing yellow light has now been integrated on the rear-view mirrors of the new cars, which act as a hazard warning system.

These hazard warning indicators are similar to those found on road cars, and will flash to warn drivers out on track that the car is running slower than usual.

However, the new feature became a point of contention for Kravitz, during Sky Sports' Barcelona testing show following the first day of private testing.

Why does F1 have hazard lights?

After the first day of the Barcelona shakedown Kravitz was alongside Craig Slater and Bernie Collins to discuss the new F1 cars, with Collins explaining why hazard lights had been introduced for 2026.

"The hazard lights, as we discussed, they have been brought in to help improve visibility in particularly wet conditions," Collins said.

"Before we used to have that big rain light at the back of the car. Now that's very good if you're directly behind the car in front, but, as we so often see in the rain, if a car spins or return to the track either forwards or sideways, there's no light in either of those occasions. That is why the hazard light has been added to the wing mirrors of these new cars."

Kravitz then responded: "I can't be doing with hazard lights on F1 cars, what is going on? I know what Bernie is saying, in the rain and then they'll be even more visible, but I thought they were just going to be visible from the side.

"If you're just alongside the driver, you see the mirror where those hazard lights are. If we're going to be seeing them front on as well."

When co-host Craig Slater suggested they could become confusing, Kravitz said: "Not confusing, off-putting."

What is a shakedown?

A shakedown refers to the first time teams can properly run their cars on track, like a pre-season health check.

Teams get the chance to test out all of the new design features on their new cars without limitations, with no maximum limit put on the number of laps they are allowed to do each day.

The private shakedown means the press do not have access, and only a small crew are admitted to film content for teams and drivers.

Nevertheless, Sky Sports F1 will be on hand to guide viewers through the Barcelona shakedown, with a testing highlights show broadcast at 9pm (GMT) every night of the week of the test. The show will then be available on Sky F1's official YouTube channel.