F1 confirms Max Verstappen stance as Stefano Domenicali responds to rule backlash

Stefano Domenicali has said F1 isn’t seeking to stop any of the drivers being critical of the new regulations, if they wish to be, and has pointed to how the sport’s fanbase is enjoying the new-look Formula 1.

Halfway through the 2026 Formula 1 season, the sport’s new technical regulations, which now place a much greater emphasis on electric power and energy management, continue to divide fans and drivers with regard to how enjoyable the dynamics of the sport have changed.

Stefano Domenicali says Formula 1 drivers are free to criticise 2026 regulations

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With the new regulations changing the challenge of F1 away from outright grip-limited speed through corners in favour of a more strategic energy management approach that prioritises energy deployment down the straights, it has led to a deluge of criticism from many of the drivers.

At some of the particularly energy-starved circuits such as Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, the criticisms were particularly pronounced, with Fernando Alonso even revealing that his career choices for 2027 involve him trying to decide whether the regulations align with his personal satisfaction as a competitor.

Max Verstappen is another who has been particularly critical; he has made it clear recently that he is trying to just get on with things in a ruleset he has dubbed as “anti-racing”, although he declined to speak too harshly at the Belgian Grand Prix when he said that, if he was critical, someone would “probably shoot me outside the door”.

In Belgium, Oscar Piastri dubbed it a “pretty crap way to go racing”, while Lando Norris has said business interests have overtaken the sport as the power units deploy energy according to algorithms as opposed to driver control.

But F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has said there is no attempt to try stopping the drivers from outlining their concerns or criticisms.

“You know me, we are not here to put tape on the mouth of anyone,” he said on a media roundtable call, including PlanetF1.com, on Wednesday.

“I mean, the beauty of our sport is that everyone can have an opinion, but the opinion is an opinion.

“There is someone who has the duty to have a line. There are certain drivers that prefer, of course, certain things.

“I think that in the process we have highlighted the need to be constructive in that respect.”

With electrification a vital factor in order to tempt the likes of Audi and Honda to commit to an engine programme, Domenicali said the regulation changes reflected the state of the automotive industry’s thinking when the regulations were being outlined half a decade ago.

“I go back to the thing that this change was connected to a reason, and that was a vital reason,” Domenicali said.

“Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here to talk about another sport. So that has been adjusted.”

Verstappen clarified his “shoot me outside the door” comment when he spoke to the media in Hungary, saying, “I was joking about that one, but well, I’ve spoken my mind about these regulations already a long time, and in the beginning, most people were saying, “Ah, he’s complaining; he should shut up’.

“But I have to say that the last few races, more and more people are seeing the same thing that I could see coming already a long time, and it’s not about me not liking not winning anymore.

“It’s just because I care about the product, and because I’ve said it many many times, and at one point that’s also enough, right? But of course, when people keep asking you, then yeah, maybe it’s not appreciated always, but I’m just speaking. I’m just speaking my mind because you see certain things coming, and then sometimes people say, “Ah, yeah, but this was a great race’.

“I say, ‘Yeah, but it’s not really realistic the way we are racing’. And then you arrive to some tracks, and yeah, you’re driving on not a lot of horsepower for F1 standards, and it’s a little bit painful, whhich I could see coming already for years. So it’s then, of course, not the most exciting. But at one point, I’m also a little bit just fed up with repeating myself because it’s already hard enough just having to drive it.

With the sport addressing the concerns by way of a change in power unit ratio next year, increasing the importance of the internal combustion engine to a 58/42 split in 2027, followed by a 60/40 ratio against the electrical motors in 2028, Domenicali said this factor has no significant effect on the sport’s popularity.

“I think the situation that we are living today is really great,” Domenicali said. “The championship is really at the highest in terms of people following, people that are coming to the track and people that are, in any case, new or old fans appreciating the success of the things we are doing.

“Numbers are growing. The new fans are getting more and more. Therefore, we have an opportunity to connect with them and explain to them really what our sport is, because that’s an essential element of what we are doing.

We want new people to come, but we need to make sure that they understand who we are, and to be focused on the key messages of our sport. That is competition. That is technology. That is fun. That is entertainment.”

F1’s own figures show that the fanbase has not responded negatively to the regulation changes, despite the apparent deluge of unhappiness on social media.

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Statistics supplied through F1’s own Fan Voice programme, a panel assembled of 60,000 fans, show an uplift in those who have rated the races as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ through the first half of the season at 66 per cent, up from 60 per cent in 2025.

Belgium may have been strikingly bad from an energy deployment and harvesting perspective, but its rating was up by 24 per cent compared to last year.

The technicalities of how the drivers actually race their cars is largely irrelevant to the fans, Domenicali said.

“No one is interested in how you drive your car,” he said.

“The people are interested in whether you are overtaking or not. That’s the vast majority of people.

“I agree that certain people are focused on this thing that is very important [such as battery deployment graphics]. It’s like when you were opening the DRS, people who were not interested were saying, ‘What’s the point to pass?’

“I had an incredibly interesting discussion with George Lucas on Saturday. He was in Hungary, and he was giving me an incredible view on how the new fans are watching Formula 1, and I think that he gave us an incredible clearance to see how we can really simplify things because the new fans are not understanding the truth, what is behind the scenes.

“They are fascinated by the fact that there is a lot of action. So I think there is definitely the need for those who are so focused on that to have the right information.

“But, for the vast majority of the people, trust me, they just want to see what is happening on the track, not interested in the angle of throttle or the percentage of brake pressure on how you can take and overtake a driver.

“For example, the incredible overtake of Max on Lewis at Turn 1 in Hungary, that was a piece of art, if I may say, that these people just want to see and just connect to the quality of the drivers.

“At the end of the day, this is asking that the driver can have on how you can maximise the performance of your car, no matter whether it’s braking, accelerating power that is done by the electrification or not.

“That’s what I think is happening. For a niche of our fans, this data is relevant, and of course it is available. But as I said, for the vast majority, that’s what we receive as information.”

But, with the drivers still voicing complaints about the direction the new regulations have taken the sport, Domenicali said his duty is to the health of the sport, rather than offering knee-jerk reactions to unhappy drivers.

“I think that, as you know me, I prefer to discuss things with respect to the four walls to find solutions,” he said.

“But as I said, I think that the more you are vocal on certain things, the more the negativity is not on the sport. It’s becoming on the personal side. So, I think that everyone understood that.

“And in that respect, as I said, you know very well how much I respect our jewel that is our drivers. But, of course, they need to understand that there is one path we need to take together.

“And the fans are always a priority above everyone, even me. They [the drivers] can have a personal opinion, but I have the duty to make a summary of what is best for the sport.

“But I think that the situation is very strong, very solid, with all the stakeholders today. So, we need to look ahead and make sure that the sport is growing, as I said, all together in the right way.”

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