Martin Brundle predicts F1 2026 ‘relaunch’ with ‘dramatically changed’ cars

Martin Brundle has branded the Miami Grand Prix the “relaunch of the season” following an extended break since the Japanese Grand Prix.

The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix created an unexpected extended break in the F1 2026 season, while April also saw agreed regulatory tweaks introduced ahead of Miami.

Martin Brundle predicts Miami GP ‘relaunch’

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Such is the expected rate of development in the 2026 season, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella predicted a “completely new car” would be seen over the next two races from the Woking stable, with significant upgrades also set to take place up and down the grid.

After a series of April meetings, the key stakeholders in Formula 1 agreed a selection of regulation changes after the first three races, aimed at lessening the overall need for energy management, alongside safety improvements.

With a month having passed since the last on-track action, however, Brundle feels the regulation tweaks should prove “a step forward” from the early rounds, but there may still be more changes to come yet.

“Yes, I think it can,” Brundle said on Sky Sports News when asked if the Miami Grand Prix could shake up the competitive order, “but it’s more like a relaunch of the season, frankly.

“The enforced break, teams are going to turn up with dramatically changed and hopefully improved cars.

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“We don’t know who’s going to get it right. I think it’s going to be the story of the season, actually, with such a massive change that we’ve had for 2026, so I’m really looking forward to it.

“Will it satisfy the drivers? It’s quite clear that the drivers that have got fast cars and winning are somewhat more satisfied than those drivers that are not, so I guess that’ll carry on.

“There’s always huge amount of unintended consequences in anything you change in Formula 1, it’s a pretty complex business. So what we’re in the process of is smoothing out the power delivery of these complex hybrid cars, and I think it will be a step forward.

“The drivers are concerned at closing speeds. We always did have that sort of thing if somebody missed a gear in front of you, for example, back in the day when you shifted your own gears or suddenly blew up – but, back then, you could smell a little bit of oil or hear the engine note or whatever and, obviously, you can’t see that now, with a lot of it being battery driven.

“So, yes, in summary, it will improve the racing. It will improve the cars, but I’m sure there’s more to be done yet.”

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