Sainz urges F1 to stay ‘open-minded’ if ‘there’s something wrong’ with 2026 rules

Carlos Sainz has urged Formula 1 to remain open-minded if the new 2026 regulations fail to deliver for fans due to the complexity of the combustion–electric power split.

After nine days of pre-season running, the F1 2026 season gets underway in Australia this weekend, and no one has any idea how the grand prix could play out.

Carlos Sainz says F1 must stay open-minded over 2026 regulations

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The drivers are still getting to grips with the demands of the new power units, which now have a 50/50 split between electrical power and internal combustion power.

Harvesting power for the battery is just one area of uncertainty, amidst concerns drivers may have to back off on the straights, even let a rival pass them, in order to recharge over a single lap.

Added to that, there is overtake mode, usable only in designated zones when a driver is within one second of the car ahead, and boost mode, which can be deployed at any time.

Managing the discharge and recharge of the battery will be crucial.

Even more so at a circuit like Albert Park, which doesn’t feature many heavy braking zones

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“Very different,” was Sainz‘s prediction to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets in the build-up to the Australian Grand Prix. “Certainly, Bahrain wasn’t actually too much of a challenge, or it was quite a big change, but still within reasonable limits.

“In the simulator work I did prior to Melbourne [it] looked quite extreme, and everything I’m seeing so far from Melbourne in the preparation to it, it looks like it’s going to be a very, very different, very interesting weekend, and especially very different to what we saw in Bahrain testing.

“So let’s see. Let’s see. I think, a huge learning for everyone, incredibly tough first test for this new set of regulations, given the circuit layout. So let’s see.”

It could also be very confusing for Formula 1 fans trying to figure out what’s going on out on track.

Asked about that, Sainz said Formula 1 and the fans need to give the new rules three races before passing judgement. But if it is not working, the FIA and F1 need to be open to change.

“It could go both ways,” he conceded. “That’s why evaluating and trying to predict how it will be on TV before it even happens, I think it’s not worth it.

“I think it’s just, let’s see whatever rules we’ve come up with for this year. Let’s put them on track and then evaluate and if there needs to be change the only thing I’ve told Stefano [Domenicali] and the FIA is that we need to be open-minded.

“If the first race, the first two or three races because China will be different and Japan will be different again so give it maybe two or three examples, and then clearly there’s something off, something wrong, I hope we are able to change.”

However, before the drivers have to worry about harvesting and discharging, comes the race start. And that proved problematic for several teams during testing.

So much so, the FIA introduced a blue lights pre-start procedure to give the drivers more time to get their engines into the correct start configuration.

Sainz reckons everyone will get off the line on Sunday, just some may not do it as well as others.

“I think it’s been a big talking point, but I think the only thing we will see is more performance difference in starts, but I think we will all get off the line.

“It will just be a matter of who gets better or worse.

“In the past, there was almost, by the end of last year, no difference in compounds in getting off the line, we would all be within three to five meters of the best starter. I think this year there will be more differences, if anything, that’s fine for me.”

Additional reporting by Mat Coch

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