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Vasseur Defends 2026 F1 Rules, Says Racing Is Less Artificial Than DRS

Software tweaks roll out in Miami after weeks of driver complaints about energy-driven 'yo-yo' passes.

Overview

  • Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, speaking Friday at the FIA press briefing in Miami, said the new energy-management racing is "not artificial at all" and produces good fights.
  • F1 scrapped the DRS rear-wing flap and introduced Overtake Mode, which gives extra power only when a driver is within one second of a rival and offers no external signal when used.
  • Several drivers, including Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, argue the rules encourage easy pass-backs, with Norris saying he overtook when he did not want to because of energy limits.
  • 1992 champion Nigel Mansell called some moves "totally false" and blamed computer-controlled power delivery for overtakes that do not feel under the driver's control.
  • The FIA is debuting targeted tweaks in Miami to address feedback, and Vasseur said teams and officials will keep fine-tuning the system after each race.