F1 'have made an incomprehensible mess that only George Russell loves'

Stefano Domenicali, generic, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

2026 Regulations

F1 'have made an incomprehensible mess that only George Russell loves'

The new regulations continue to divide opinion

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Thursday 21 May 2026 14:59

We are now four races into the 2026 F1 season and the controversial new regulations continue to divide the sport's fanbase.

The biggest narrative of the year so far is the hatred hardcore supporters of the sport have for the move towards electrical power and away from ICE (internal combustion engines).

Drivers lifting and coasting on qualifying laps and the danger presented by huge speed deltas are just two of the unwanted spinoffs thanks to the massive change sweeping into the sport.

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The FIA moved ahead of the Miami Grand Prix to try and redress that ICE/electrical energy split somewhat, but the howls of anguish from fans who want to see pure racing remains deafening.

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Fernando Alonso confidant offers brutal F1 2026 take

The latest voice of dissent is Spanish mountaineer, adventurer and TV journalist Jesus Calleja, also a long-time friend of two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso.

Calleja spoke of his distaste for the 2026 regulations in an interview with respected Spanish outlet Marca, his take was absolutely brutal.

He fumed: "I don't like it at all . I just don't understand it... do you? I just don't get it, and I analyse everything. The whole kilowatt thing: now I'll take some away, now I'll add some, now we're going to have more power... in the end, the car decides more than the driver.

"Fernando [Alonso] always said that racing should be very simple: let's see who's faster . There shouldn't be any other parameter. But now the car decides what to do . Have you ever seen anyone racing on a straight while decelerating so they have energy left to exit the corner? It's an incomprehensible mess . I don't know anyone who's said they love it. Except for Russell… and only while he was winning."

Of course George Russell is no longer winning (Australia feels a long time ago now) but Calleja's take is one which is widely shared in the F1 fanbase.

Russell is one of the few supporters for the new F1 regulations.

'Everyone's furious' about the new F1

He added: "Everyone's furious: the drivers, the fans, the ratings are suffering, they've plummeted… I understand they have to do something quickly because it's demotivated us all. That's why there's talk about the V8, that it has to be changed… that's a veiled admission that they've made a mess of the competition. Why can't things be said like normal people do? I'll say it like this and I don't care if you write it: for me, they've left a mess of F1, and I think that as a huge fan and as someone who has a great friend in there."

To add to the misery for Calleja, he also has the pain of watching his great friend Alonso struggle in an Aston Martin which has become a laughing stock, a miserable footnote to the season so far.

Alonso misery at Aston Martin

"And then on top of that, they've given Fernando this 'thing' of a car", Calleja continued.

"Look, I read and I check every day to see if you have anything good to say. Today you said that perhaps energy management will be better and that there might be something in the car's hardware… but that we shouldn't expect much. Damn, how can we not expect anything!

"We're going through what we went through with McLaren-Honda. I'm confident that in August we'll see a different car."

F1 Fernando Alonso 2026 regulations