NASCAR mock F1 in promotional trailer

NASCAR have mocked F1 2026's regulation changes, ahead of the Cup Series getting underway at Daytona.

The NASCAR Cup Series opens this weekend with the 68th running of the iconic Daytona 500 race, while F1 does not get underway until March.

F1 has a whole different look about it this year, with new aerodynamic car design rules being supplemented by wholesale changes to the power units.

And it seems as though NASCAR are banking on their own fans not enjoying these new regulations, using part of their teaser trailer for the 2026 season of that series to make some tongue-in-cheek remarks aimed at F1.

Clint Eastwood's son Scott Eastwood was used for the teaser trailer, and the actor said: "America's forefathers didn't throw tea in the harbour so we could sit quietly on rooftops and drink champagne," in an apparent cheeky swipe at F1's VIP seats during race weekends. "They did it so we could be loud.

"We don't come from royalty, we come from bootleggers and bar builders. This is NASCAR, where engines don't whisper, they roar," understood to be a nod towards F1's new power units, which feature a 50-50 split between electrical energy and the internal combustion engine.

What are F1's new power unit regulations?

F1's 2026 power units might not sound quite like the NASCAR engines, but they are a masterpiece in engineering, mixing both electrical energy and an internal combustion engine that can run off 100 per cent sustainable fuels.

F1 engines will remain a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid, but the internal combustion engine output has been cut and electrical power tripled, basically meaning there is a 50-50 split between the two power sources.

The car’s Energy Recovery System (ERS) can now recharge the battery with twice as much energy per lap, as F1 says goodbye to the MGU-H, and drivers are set to have greater responsibility placed on them to manage the battery in the cars.

Sustainability was at the forefront of these changes, with F1 hoping to reach carbon neutrality by the 2030 season.

When does the 2026 F1 season start?

The 2026 F1 season gets underway on Friday, March 6, at the Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.

FP1 will mark the first session of the season at 12:30pm local time (1:30am GMT), while qualifying will get underway on Saturday, March 7 at 4pm local time (5am GMT). Lights out for the first grand prix of the year is at 3pm local time (4am GMT).

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