Sainz: ‘Pretty shocking’ F1 2026 engines have ‘downgraded’ Silverstone

Carlos Sainz has said the much-publicised issues facing F1 2026 engines are likely to show up again at Silverstone, saying the circuit has been “downgraded” with “pretty shocking” power deployment.

Silverstone is one of the fastest circuits on the Formula 1 calendar and, without many corners at which batteries can charge, drivers are expected to be short of their full complement of power through a lap.

Carlos Sainz: Silverstone battery issue has ‘downgraded’ iconic circuit

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While adjustments have been made to the 2026 regulations to offer more power to the drivers, such as increasing peak superclipping power to quicker recharge their batteries, Silverstone had been earmarked as one of the circuits potentially troublesome for the new formula.

Williams driver Sainz echoed the worries of the likes of Max Verstappen in driving a lap at the British Grand Prix, believing the experience of driving at the Northamptonshire circuit to have suffered as a result of the new engines.

“Probably the most difficult one up until now for this concept of engine,” Sainz told PlanetF1.com and others at Silverstone, in response to Verstappen’s criticism.

“Yeah, the simulator was pretty shocking, as [Verstappen] would say, which was just like a clear sign and understanding that whatever we came up with for this year is not good enough.

“That’s why the regs change was necessary for next year, because a great racetrack, like this being a bit, not spoiled, but downgraded because of the way you do an engine, is not what F1 should be about, and that’s why all the changes are happening for next year and the following year.

“You basically run out of energy and power very quickly into the high speed and because there’s a combination of very high speed corners you don’t harvest any battery, so you’re only sitting on – I don’t know how many horsepower the car has, but without the electric – but you’re obviously a lot slower into the high speed and you don’t have as much power and as much momentum through it, so it’s quite a bit down on last year.”

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After qualifying 15th for Saturday’s Sprint, Sainz was not optimistic about how the racing would play out over the course of a shortened and full race distance.

“Probably one of the most entertaining tracks, my opinion, for the wrong reasons, because we are very energy starved, and we will be playing with the ‘I spend [energy] here, but then you pass me back’,” he added.

“I think you will see a bit of yo-yo racing again this weekend, which is what it is. The changes are done for next year, but the crowd is amazing.”

Cars will move over the course of the next two seasons towards a 60-40 ratio in favour of internal combustion power, which will bring the reliance on battery power down.

While there should be an uplift in the driving experience, Sainz remains concerned about how circuits such as Silverstone will be.

“It will improve it,” he said.

“It’s not what we would want still, because it’s not the full lap with all the power that an F1 car should have, but the power will make you arrive quicker into these corners and cut later, so the feeling of the car should be better.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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