Oscar Piastri warns F1 is ‘never going to fix’ 2026 rules
Oscar Piastri has offered a blunt assessment after changes were made to the F1 2026 rules.
Oscar Piastri has delivered a damning verdict on Formula 1’s 2026 regulations, insisting the sport is “never going to fix the problems” without fundamental change.
Tweaks to the rules have been made for this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix to address issues that arose during the opening three rounds of the year, though Piastri feels they fall short of what is truly needed.
Oscar Piastri blasts F1 2026 rules despite Miami changes
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All-new chassis and technical regulations for F1 2026 have been met by a wall of criticism from drivers given the unusual and counter-intuitive driving techniques they encourage.
That was amplified as the season got going with fans expressing their dislike of the ‘artificial’ elements of the racing as overtaking became dominated by battery deployment over driver skill.
Safety concerns were also raised with drivers concerned that the potential power differences between the cars would create dangerous scenarios on track.
In Japan, Oliver Bearman suffered a 50G crash when he was forced to take evasive action to avoid contact with Franco Colapinto.
That gave the FIA licence to push through changes ahead of Miami, with others voted through via the Power Unit Advisory Committee.
A reduction in charging limits during qualifying will go some way to address the unusual driving techniques drivers have had to adopt, while a changes to Boost Mode power are aimed at reducing speed deltas in combat.
Though they have no official role in the regulatory process, the drivers were consulted by the FIA and their feedback helped shape the revisions that have been made.
“The collaboration has been good,” Piastri said, adding that the changes that have been made are a “step in the right direction.”
However, he warned that the underlying issues remain.
“You’re never going to fix the problems without changing the hardware of the power units, but I think it’s a step in the right direction,” he said
“How much it helps, we’ll have to wait and see.”
The Australian has had a chance to sample the revisions in McLaren’s simulator during the extended April break.
He suggests that while some areas have been improved, others are much as they were.
“But from a safety point of view, I think the changes with the boost button are sensible in the right direction,” he opined.
“You can’t eliminate the instances of people having 350 kilowatts more than another car at all times, but hopefully reduces the amount of times that happens.”
The inherent weaknesses within the regulations have given renewed impetus to discussions surrounding F1’s future.
The F1 2026 regulations were created in collaboration with the automotive sector with concessions made to tempt them into the sport.
At the time those discussions were taking place, F1 had not yet felt the benefit of the financial overhaul it has received, and manufacturer involvement was viewed as critical to shoring up its foundations.
With teams now valued in the billions, a more equitable prize money model, stronger commercial platform, and a cap on spending, the financial landscape is significantly different.
Where once manufacturer participation was seen as vital, there’s an argument to be made that it’s now a liability, especially if it results in compromised regulations.
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“At the moment there’s a lot of options on the table, I would imagine,” Piastri said when asked if more significant changes could be introduced in future.
“The discussions are at a far higher level than drivers; you’re talking about team bosses and bosses of the biggest car manufacturers in the world, so it’s certainly above my level.
“But as we’ve said, as a sport, where the automotive industry was when these rules were conceived, versus where it is now are two very different places.
“Everyone understands the limitations of what we have and trying to adapt it to make things better for everybody.
“Some of those things we can tweak, like we have done, some of those things you need to change in the medium term, some of the things need a complete overhaul.
“But I think everyone’s aware of where we are, at least, and we can make changes from there.
“At the moment, I don’t have any news on what next year might look like, or a timeline on that.”
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