F1 hasn’t lost its ‘magic’; drivers need to “turn the page” on 2026 complaints

Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto has suggested that drivers should “turn the page” on their grievances over the 2026 regulations, and is adamant that Formula 1 hasn’t lost its magic.

The switch from the 2022-25 regulations, in which drivers had become accustomed to high-downforce cars that could take even the most challenging high-speed corners flat, to the 2026 rules has been a bone of contention for much of the field.

Although the energy management aspect has been improved slightly with the Miami tweaks to the deployment regulations, which limited overall electrical power and boost usage to ensure the batteries were drained at a slower rate, this has been a small step.

Further changes will be made in 2027 and 2028 to iron out the more heinous issues with energy management, with increases to the internal combustion engine output coming thanks to increased fuel flow limits.

Many of the drivers had warned that Silverstone was tough on energy usage, and have suggested that the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps might be even more tough – Oscar Piastri suggested that it might be “sad” to see some of the challenge dulled by empty batteries.

Bortoleto offered a different viewpoint after the British Grand Prix, stating that Silverstone hadn’t lost its “magic” despite some of the slower speeds through the quicker corners.

“I don’t think we’ve lost the magic of the sport,” Bortoleto said. “We are still driving f****** quick through Copse. It’s 280[km/h], so I’m still lifting to do that corner.

“It’s not that easy flat, it’s not that you’re like, ‘oh, we’re not using all the grip we have’.

“Obviously, last year it was a different concept, but I think we should turn the page. That’s the regulations we’re living right now.”

The Brazilian added that F1’s more negative voices needed to find a different subject, and accept that the new regulations are here to stay until the end of 2030 – after which F1 is considering a switch back to a naturally aspirated V8.

Bortoleto says that he still takes pleasure from driving the current cars which, from the chassis side, have been largely enjoyed by the drivers due to their greater agility.

“If there are still people complaining about it, just move the page. That’s the regulations we have until 2030, if I understood correctly,” he continued. “And then in 2031, when we go to the new regulations, we talk about it again.

“But we cannot spend three years talking about the same problem every time, you know, because that’s what we have. The cars are still fun to drive. It’s different. We need to adapt to that and it’s life.”

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– The Autosport.com Team