Lewis Hamilton has voiced strong concerns about the behaviour and drivability of Formula 1’s 2026‑spec cars, joining Max Verstappen in questioning whether the new regulations will enhance or hinder racing.
Speaking during early testing, Hamilton outlined several issues related to energy recovery, gear usage, and the overall driving experience under the radically revised hybrid rules.
One of Hamilton’s clearest criticisms centres on the difficulty of recovering sufficient battery power. The 2026 regulations dramatically increase reliance on electric deployment, and Hamilton explained that the current systems are struggling to regenerate enough energy through normal driving.
“We can’t recover enough battery power, so that’s why we have to go down into the low gears,” Hamilton said, describing how drivers are being forced into unusually aggressive downshifts to feed the hybrid system.
He added that the new power units require extremely high revs to compensate: “We can rev the engines very, very, very high so we’re going down to second and first in some places, just to try to recover that extra bit of power.”
This shift in driving style not only feels unnatural but also increases the risk of instability when the car is loaded mid‑corner.
Hamilton also highlighted a surprising and worrying trend: significant lift‑and‑coast even during qualifying laps. Traditionally used to save fuel or manage temperatures during races, the technique is now appearing in flat‑out sessions due to energy limitations.
“If you look at Barcelona, for example, we’re doing 600 metres lift and coast on a qualifying lap. That’s not what racing is about,” he said.
He warned that the large gaps between gear ratios make the situation even more precarious: “That definitely doesn’t help, because the steps between those ratios are quite high and so when you kick that down into first gear, it can snap.”
The combination of aggressive downshifts and long lift‑and‑coast phases risks making the cars unpredictable and the racing less dynamic.
Energy seployment will define the season
Hamilton believes that the 2026 season will be shaped more than ever by how well teams and drivers manage energy deployment. With the hybrid system now delivering nearly half of the car’s total power, mastering the balance between regeneration and output will be crucial.
“Energy management is going to be key,” Hamilton stressed. “Which team is most on top of deployment and all that, and which drivers are on top of that – managing the controls, the feedback the driver is getting – those things are going to be crucial.”
His comments underline a growing concern in the paddock: that the new regulations may shift the competitive emphasis away from pure driving and toward complex energy‑management strategies.