F1 has just thrown away 7 years of hard work in one season

An edited of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen side-by-side looking serious — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 2026

F1 has just thrown away 7 years of hard work in one season

F1 fans have been left behind in 2026

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Thursday 23 April 2026 12:57

Are you an F1 fan? Of course you are, you've clicked on this article. But what kind of F1 fan are you?

Are you a so-called 'casual' - the one that tunes in for race weekends (not the practice sessions obvs) and lets Crofty tell you all you need to know for 90mins or so?

Or perhaps you're a petrolhead - a purist that's been following the sport for decades, long before the Drive to Survive wave came crashing at your shores.

Despite the stark gulf between these two fanbases - they have one thing in common in 2026.

Neither of them really like what the sport has become.

Article continues under video

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton gets new Ferrari upgrades, Verstappen told to leave Red Bull

F1 has failed fans with 2026 regs

Let's start with the purists, those who ardently agree with Max Verstappen that F1 has now become 'Formula E on steroids' (Jeff Dodds you are welcome for the continued free publicity).

They cannot believe the pinnacle of motorsport now makes that god-awful sound before lights out instead of the roar of V8s or V10s.

Instead of relying on race craft or sheer grit and determination to get past the driver ahead - you can now press the boost button to pick up your Mario Kart mushroom.

It's a far cry from the days of Schumacher, Senna, Prost et al., and it's not looking like returning anytime soon.

They won't hear the sustainability arguments because that's not really what the sport is here to do.

They're left with a sport that has failed to produce more exciting racing in their eyes and is so alien from what they first fell in love with.

So, it must be pitched at that Drive to Survive lot, right?

Now this is the baffling part...

F1 is far too complex for casual fans

Pop quiz time, pencils at the ready...

1. The maximum power available through the 'boost' in race conditions is now capped at what kW?

2. Peak superclip power increased to what kW, previously being what kW?

3. What is superclipping?

4. Do you really care about any of this?

F1 EXPLAINED: What is super clipping?

I am of course being intentionally facetious here but hopefully you can see my point.

In the previous regulation cycle, you could dive into the minutia as much or as little as you wanted to and still thoroughly enjoy a race weekend - no problems whatsoever.

Now it feels like you need a degree in the sport to truly understand it. Not my words, but those of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Who I am reliably informed 'knows a thing or two about racing'.

F1 has wasted the Drive to Survive foundation

Which brings me to the crux of this piece. What better way to bring in an army of fans who previously knew nothing about the sport than by launching a Netflix show about it.

So to then tear down all their hard work seven years after DTS first came out and to repackage it with the most confusing set of regulations those fans have yet to encounter is mind-blowing.

What makes it even funnier (sadder) is that they spent time and energy taking incredibly complex ideas such as DRS and calling them straight mode instead, you know, to keep it simples.

F1 2026 Regulations: What is straight mode?

I don't want to be one of those people who moan and then fail to offer solutions, but being frank that's not really my job either (I'd be on a very big yacht instead of writing this if it was).

It is good to see the FIA and F1 attempt to undo some of the damage the new regulations have done with Monday's statement.

And to go one further I am genuinely thrilled that people are actively trying to make the sport more exciting and more sustainable.

However, the end result is incredibly underwhelming and it needs changing - fast. If Max Verstappen walks away from the sport over these regulations then those responsible should walk away as well.

I look forward to seeing how the changes have an actual impact at the Miami Grand Prix, but I for one will not be waiting with bated breath.

Written by

Matthew Hobkinson - Lead Editor

After four years working for a Lloyd's of London insurance syndicate, lockdown gave Matt the chance to chase a career in sports journalism - he hasn't looked back. Matt has found a home here at GPFans where he can showcase the weird and wonderful world of F1 to the millions of fans around the world who are just as passionate as he is about the best sport in the world.

View full biography

F1 2026 regulations