Fernando Alonso blasts new F1 regulations: 'Overtakes are unintentional'

Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso has joined the growing list of drivers rallying against the new regulations and the many quirks that come with them for 2026 and beyond.

The style of driving required to tackle the new regulations, particularly where the energy management changes are concerned, has proved to be a highly contested topic so far this season.

Fellow champion Max Verstappen has been the most vocal (and brutally honest) about his utter disdain for what the sport has become, and the Dutchman is said to be 'seriously considering' retirement thanks to his lack of enjoyment in driving the new cars.

The Dutchman labelled the experience of driving the 2026 machinery as 'anti-driving' after the grand prix at Suzuka due to the increased focus on harvesting energy.

And now, Alonso has also weighed in on the controversial new rules and driving modes having finally completed his first grand prix of the year with the struggling Aston Martin squad.

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Alonso bites back over F1 2026 regulations

The Spaniard has had plenty to complain about so far this season as Aston Martin's new works partnership with Honda has gone from bad to worse.

After suffering from limited running during the F1 2026 shakedown and pre-season testing, Aston Martin took to the first round of the season knowing full well they were unable to complete the full race distance.

In fact, Alonso and fellow Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll both complained to Adrian Newey of vibrations coming from the Honda power unit, with the driver duo concerned they were at risk of picking up permanent nerve damage if they endured too many laps at the wheel of their vibrating car.

Stroll is still yet to finish a grand prix in 2026, having been called into the pits on lap 31 of the Japanese Grand Prix with the team reporting that his car had lost water pressure.

But for the first time under the new regulations, Aston Martin had at least one car make it to the chequered flag, even if it was in P18 and a lap behind the rest of the field (minus both Cadillacs).

So, now that Alonso is finally getting some extended track time in the AMR26, what does he make of the new regulations? Well, not much.

The Aston Martin driver was quoted by a Spanish social media account during the Japanese GP weekend as saying: "No fun in the race, what fun is there in overtaking by accident? The overtakes we have now are unintentional.

"It's no longer about doing anything different."

FIA announce meeting to investigate new regulations

And Alonso isn't wrong. Some drivers have even admitted to overtaking their rivals by accident due to the sheer, uncontrollable speed on their cars, caused by the new rules.

This concern that F1's new regulations have forced drivers into becoming a passenger to the technical side of racing has grown over the opening rounds of the 2026 championship.

But during Sunday's Japanese GP, Ollie Bearman demonstrated just how seriously the new regulations need a rethink when he sent his Haas straight into the barriers at Spoon Curve, triggering a safety car.

The 20-year-old got out of the car relatively unharmed, but could be seen limping away with the help of track marshals as he awaited medical attention.

Bearman's Haas F1 car was travelling at around 300km/h at the time of the crash, following the Alpine of Franco Colapinto ahead of him.

That is unlikely to have been an issue under the sport's previous regulations because Colapinto and Bearman would have been driving at similar speeds.

However, due to the demands of energy management in 2026, the Alpine was harvesting energy whilst approaching the corner, hence why Bearman's closing speed (the difference in speed between he and Colapinto) was estimated to be a whopping 50km/h.

Following the scary crash in Japan, the FIA have finally confirmed they will be holding a meeting to discuss whether changes should be made after the third round of the calendar.

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Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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