Sebastian Vettel issues major warning in F1 2026 overhaul   

Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel still isn’t convinced that the F1 2026 regulations will bring with them more compelling racing.

The German compared the overhaul to 2014’s introduction of hybrid power units, which brought with it skyrocketing developmental expenses for very little gain in on-track action.

Sebastian Vettel remains unconvinced by incoming F1 2026 regulations

At this point in the 2025 season, most teams have already turned their attention to developing all-new machines for F1 2026.

This season will bring with it an overhaul in all areas: chassis, aerodynamics and power units. PU makes will need to craft a power plant that is half internal combustion, half electric motor — and it must run on completely sustainable fuels.

Moveable aerodynamics will be permitted, thus negating the need for overtaking aids like the Drag Reduction System (DRS), while the reduced weight should theoretically create a more agile car.

However, not everyone remains convinced that these rules will bring with them a new era in performance. Current drivers who have tested sim versions of the 2026 machine have critiqued them as “not enjoyable” and “a bit sad.”

Now, we can add Sebastian Vettel’s voice to those of the skeptics.

More on the F1 2026 regulations:

👉 F1 2025 v F1 2026: Nine key questions ahead of huge regulation changes

👉 F1 2026: Confirmed teams and power unit suppliers for F1’s huge regulation changes

In a recent interview with German publication Auto Motor und Sport, Vettel raised a series of concerns about the regulatory changes that threaten to degrade the passion and excitement of Formula 1.

First and foremost, Vettel likened the 2026 overhaul to the introduction of hybrid power units back in 2014. The decision to implement electrification was a bold bid to attract increasingly conscious climate manufacturers to the sport, but while Vettel admits the regulations were “good in principle,” the “implementation” of those units was incorrect.

“It cost far too much money and did not benefit the series,” he said.

Indeed, dominant teams like Mercedes were spending hundreds of millions of dollars in developmental costs in hope of establishing an unquestioned dominance, thereby resulting in the implementation of cost caps to rein in the spending in hopes of equalizing the playing field.

For Vettel, the 2026 regulations are based on the flawed groundwork of earlier rulesets, which threatens to amplify ongoing concerns about cost, safety, and excitement.

“Innovative solutions from the previous engine regulations are being dispensed with in order to make it less expensive,” Vettel explained.

“This is intended to attract new manufacturers.

“The electric component is generally good and is also needed in mobility. However, 100 percent electric mobility is already further advanced on the road due to its unbeatable efficiency.”

All-electric forms of racing like Formula E, though, have proven that automaker interest can be extremely fickle — and that’s not taking into account the fact that the sport has renewed a deal to remain the FIA’s only all-electric open-wheel series.

Vettel continued, “I’m not entirely convinced by the new regulations yet. Recovering energy is great, but doing it only on the rear axle and ignoring the front axle doesn’t make sense to me.”

He also pinpointed the sustainable fuels as another area of concern.

“I think climate-neutral fuels are good because there is a need for them in the world outside motorsport,” he said.

“For the many vehicles that are already on the road. For shipping and aircraft.

“What you have to be careful about is the origin of these fuels. If you unleash the typical Formula 1 development race on them, things can quickly go in the wrong direction, as was the case in 2014.

“When it comes to fuels, we should close the door by limiting the origin of the molecules and establishing a certain degree of relevance for series production.”

Though the cars for 2026 will be lighter than the current iteration, Vettel argues that “it’s just a drop in the ocean” considering that those cars will still be far too heavy.

The four-time World Champion pointed out, “It always comes down to: What are you trying to achieve? How do you achieve it? Where do the resources come from?

“The current engine is too expensive. Apart from the sticker hybrid, there has been no transfer to series production because it is too complex and too expensive.”

That increasing irrelevance of F1 technology to production cars also means that the sport is taking a turn toward an emphasis on entertainment over anything else.

“There will be a move away from this transfer and more towards entertainment,” he said.

“We should stick with what we know, but it needs to be done better in terms of the environment. The shoes I buy must be manufactured in a way that does not harm the environment and that production meets fair working conditions.

“The same applies to cars and motorsport events. It would be a shame if motorsport as we know it ceased to exist. It’s perfectly normal for it to change.”

Ultimately, Vettel concluded that, “From a sporting perspective, the competition must be as close as possible without damaging the spirit of Formula 1. And people must still be able to afford to watch the sport.”

Will that continue to be the case in 2026? Vettel is just one of several voices to express a level of concern that F1 will move in a questionable direction — but we won’t know for sure until cars hit the track.
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