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How the drivers reacted to the F1 rule changes ahead of the Miami GP

F1 Miami GP Valtteri Bottas Oliver Bearman Alpine FIA

The Formula 1 drivers have given their insight into the regulation changes made ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

F1’s 2026 regulations have been revised ahead of the Floridian event, with the primary aims of improving safety and the spectacle for both fans and drivers.

The crux of the tweaks focus on super clipping being increased from 250kW to a maximum of 350kW, while the energy harvesting limit has been cut from 8MJ to 7MJ in qualifying, which will reduce the need for both lift-and-coast and super clipping.

Adjustments have also been made to race starts, whereby if a driver suffers a slow getaway the MGU-K will kick in to deliver a minimum level of acceleration. The idea behind this change is to avoid crashes between cars on the grid with significantly different speeds.

Given the changes gained unanimous support from the FIA, F1 and the teams, the overall initial feedback has been positive, with drivers highlighting a good level of communication with the governing body to ensure their opinions were weighed into the changes.

“It's going in the right direction for the stuff that we are asking,” Alpine’s Pierre Gasly explained. “That's the most important. I don't think it's a game changer. But it's going in the right direction and it's good to give it a try and then actually see what it brings and see if there is any necessity to do further steps. But I think it should be good.

“It's the best communications we've had for a while. I think it's been very constructive. I think us as drivers have appreciated the fact that we've been involved because we are the ones behind the wheels. We are the ones feeling what's going on in all sorts of situations. So the feedback we can give is way more precise than any other one in the organisation. So I think they've definitely validated it.

Pierre Gasly, Alpine (Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images)

“As much as we would like to make the rules, there are also big entities behind the sport and manufacturers that are also pushing for what they want to have and what they need to be in the sport. We've got to please everybody. But at the end of the day, I think safety has definitely got to come first when it comes to what we do. I think everybody is pretty happy with the change we've made.”

Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas added: “All the new adjustments to the rules, it makes sense.

“I think it's in the right direction in terms of trying to have less gaps with the closing speeds. Perhaps a little bit less aggressive clipping at the end of the straights. So that makes sense.

“I think it's still quite a small step, but a step in the right direction. You could do a bigger change, but at the same time, I think what is tricky is that you don't want to penalise any teams that have done well. You don't want to make changes that would change the order of the teams or anything like this. So it's mid-season doing big changes, it's quite tricky. So I think it's a good first step.”

Albon echoed Gasly's comments, stating: “We've had a go on the simulator, just with the new changes being made. I think it improves some aspects. Is it fully pure, where we're just driving as quickly as we can? No, I don't think so.

“There's still a few more steps to go, but I think we need to see how these changes go, first of all. I think that we're definitely heading towards the right direction, and then it's just how much more do we need to do.

“I imagine we're going to finish this weekend, and the drivers are going to put their take on what extra bits we need. I think it's a great first step, but there's going to be likely a second step and a third step afterwards. I think it's positive for everyone.”

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing (Photo by: Brett Farmer / LAT Images via Getty Images)

Bottas also explained how the drivers got their voice heard using a F1 driver’s WhatsApp group chat.

“So, all drivers were in this group chat on WhatsApp. So we've been communicating there quite a lot. Especially after Japan, we did some votes and stuff like that,” he said.

“But everything is aligned. I think everyone agrees it's a step in the right direction. But now we just need to see these things in action. I think all the drivers are aligned. It's sometimes only a couple of drivers that speak to FIA, but normally they speak on behalf of all of us at GPDA.”

Haas’ Oliver Bearman detailed the qualifying rule tweaks as a significant positive for the drivers with the electrical energy use coming in automatically via throttle pressure rather than having to be used manually.

“We tried it on the sim. There have been a few things that have been really nice,” Bearman said. “For example, the qualifying lap start, now it's automatic, whereas [in the] last few races we were having to manage the throttle manually. It's like 50%, so you're having to look down at your dash to see exactly how much throttle you're using when starting a lap, which is a bit dangerous. Now it's automated, which simplifies things for us.

“A few other things, really based on quali, that should simplify life a bit for us, which is really what we wanted and asked for, because we want to be able to go out there and drive on instinct, rather than thinking about all of these things.

“A few of the other things, obviously I've tried them in the simulator, but it's tough to really draw conclusions, because it's just you on the sim. When you're with other cars, obviously things change a bit. Let's see. I think the most important thing is that they've been very receptive to our feedback, and I hope it continues that way.”

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team (Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images)

Esteban Ocon added: “I think the big gain also is the automatic launch before the quali lap. We had to do like 50% roughly before launching the lap. This is not the case anymore.

“This is similar to how it was last year. We can prepare the last corner well and start the lap. So in theory that's what's going to happen. We'll see in reality again. But yeah, it's small steps better. I don't think it's yet the full story. But I think there will be other iterations probably this year to try and improve further.”

Alpine’s Franco Colapinto is more reserved over the changes and wants to see them in action before making a final decision.

“I don't know. I think we have to wait and see. F1 has been working really hard to try and fix some of the issues,” he said. “We need to wait and see on track how it is. It's also changing a lot from track to track, depending on how much we brake, how much high-speed corners we've got. It's quite up and down between races.”

Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson added: “It's hard to know until we drive on track, so right now obviously we've done simulations and driven it in a simulator, but I think it's hopefully step in the right direction. But honestly until we drive on track I don't really know.”

However, Lance Stroll agreed with an assertion put to him that the rule tweaks are a band aid on a much bigger problem which F1 cannot fix with the current rules and the 50/50 split between internal combustion engine and electrical power.

“Now we're going to have to live with these ones for the next three-four years,” Stroll said. “I don't know what's going to happen but hopefully we go back in that direction. Loud, fast, light, nimble machines that are exciting for the fans, exciting for the drivers. You really feel like they're pushing on the limits.”

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing (Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images)

Fernando Alonso was also in the “wait and see” camp, but cast doubt on the changes having a big impact: “Let's wait and see. I don't think it will change completely what we saw in the first three races, to be honest. This power unit and this regulation will always reward going slower in the corners, because you have more energy. The small tweaks can improve a little bit the clipping, which, again, I'm not sure if we go back to Suzuka, where I spoke with the team and we race with the current rules, we will have more clipping than what we had in Suzuka.

“It's a little bit contradictory what I read in the last few weeks and what I heard today, so that's why I need to see on track how it feels.”

Later on in Thursday’s media activities in Miami, Max Verstappen felt the biggest plus point was the improved communication between the drivers and the rule makers over how to improve F1, but felt the first step is “just a tickle”.

“The positive thing about it, we had some nice meetings with Formula 1 and the FIA. That's probably like a starting point hopefully for the future. Even in a few years time, maybe I'm not here anymore, I really hope that for the future drivers as well, there's more input to come from the drivers to the organisers in general,” he said.

“Because I do think that most of the drivers here, we have a good understanding and a good feel of what is needed to make Formula 1 a good product, a fun product. And I think that's already a huge step forward in terms of the communication. And of course with the changes that are made, I think it's more like a tickle.”

“I imagine they will continue to improve through the year. We'll find out this weekend whether that change is good to see that they are making changes,” Hamilton added in his media session.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari (Photo by: Ryan Pierse / Getty Images)

“Whether or not it's enough or not we will see this weekend. I drove on the sim and I don't really feel much different. I'd be interested to see how that impacts us when we're on track and when we're qualifying.”

Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc felt the changes were appropriate in order to avoid an overreaction to the problem: “It's all about not overreacting, not doing changes that are too big, which I think is the right approach. So, yeah, I'm satisfied with the change.”

While George Russell echoed his fellow drivers’ sentiments, he also gave a warning about each driver’s own agenda and preferences masking what is actually best for F1.

“We are quite selfish as drivers and what may be the best and coolest and fastest cars for us to drive may not be the most exciting from a racing perspective,” he explained.

“As I said, if you take the V10 era from the early 2000s that is probably a really great base of what a driver wants from a race car but the races were boring and there was no overtaking and there weren't as many fans following the sport. The truth is F1 and FIA, they aren't idiots, they know what they're doing and the fans are loving the racing at the moment rightly or wrongly the racing has been exciting.

“I think we should be involved, we should help shape it but I think there's been a lot of lessons learned.”

With the majority of drivers positive about the changes and open to further feedback and modifications, Sergio Perez hinted at further options available if needed in time for the race after Miami.

“The best thing of it is that we are open to it and if there are more changes needed after this weekend, I would expect to…” he said. “There is also a big gap before Canada, so probably we can do even more changes if needed.”

This article will be updated throughout Miami GP media day