Overview
- Former driver David Coulthard told the Up To Speed podcast on Tuesday that the FIA failed to act on repeated paddock warnings about the 2026 powertrain changes.
- Pre‑season testing and the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne exposed that the rules’ near 50:50 split between electric and internal combustion power left cars unable to harvest and store enough energy, causing them to slow into fast corners.
- F1 introduced rule revisions four races into the season with a key set of changes implemented after the Miami Grand Prix, and officials have signalled further adjustments to increase internal combustion contribution in the next two seasons.
- The mid‑season fixes changed the on‑track picture as teams adapted, producing five different race winners in five grands prix after Miami as energy management and deployment evolved.
- Coulthard’s public criticism raises fresh calls for FIA accountability and underscores a wider consequence: future technical rulemaking may be more cautious as teams, drivers and fans watch closely for impacts on reliability and race spectacle.