(Motorsport-Total.com) – Carlos Sainz wants to hold back on criticism of the Formula 1 regulations in the future. The Spaniard was one of the biggest critics of the new rules at the beginning of the year, but recently announced that from now on he only wants to make “productive” suggestions.
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“I will no longer criticize it,” says Sainz about the 2026 regulations, but also makes it clear that it is still “a long way” before we will experience qualifying like in the old days in Formula 1 again.
Before the last race in Miami, the FIA announced several rule changes so that the drivers can push closer to the limit again in qualifying without having to worry too much about their battery.
There were also some adjustments for the race, which according to Sainz led to the racing in Miami actually being “a bit better.” However, in qualifying he still believes “that this is not good enough for Formula 1.”
Sainz explicitly does not blame the FIA for this. “You can’t blame them. I think they have done an excellent job,” emphasizes the Williams driver, who rather sees the engine manufacturers as responsible.
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“Now it seems everyone is pulling in the same direction. I think we just need to convince a few more [engine] manufacturers that this is not yet the standard that everyone should have in qualifying,” explains Sainz.
Shortly after these statements by the Spaniard, the FIA announced that it will revise the rules for the upcoming 2027 Formula 1 season once again. Among other things, the power of the combustion engine is to increase by 50 kilowatts.
Because at the same time the power output of the ERS system is also reduced by 50 kilowatts, the combustion engine will regain greater importance. This is exactly what Sainz and other drivers had wished for the future.
Basically, Formula 1 will stick with the current power units next year as well. A completely new engine regulation, possibly with a V8 engine, will come to the top class at the earliest in 2030, planned even later in 2031.
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