Overview
- Nigel Mansell, speaking Tuesday in an Autosport interview, said some passes under the 2026 rules are “totally false.”
- He argued that computer‑controlled energy deployment hands one car extra power at the wrong time, leading to easy repasses and limiting driver control.
- The 2026 format uses a 50‑50 split between engine and electric power and requires battery harvesting each lap, which has slowed lap times but increased pass counts.
- Current drivers have echoed the concern, with Lando Norris saying after Suzuka he held back because a pass on Lewis Hamilton would likely be reversed, and reports noting Max Verstappen’s criticism.
- Organizers have readied refinements to energy management for this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, and it remains to be seen if they make racing feel more genuine.