F1’s bold new era may already be veering off track, according to Sky Sports pundits David Croft and Martin Brundle.
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Croft and Brundle uncovered the issues with the new regulations and F1’s way forward.
New regulation drama
The new 2026 F1 regulations have caused much discourse since they started, and with the races ticking off, the controversy has only increased.
Drivers, fans, engineers and more have been very vocal with their concerns and dislike for the new regulations.
From unsafe to not real racing, the comments have varied and arrived thick and fast.
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Pundits’ opinions
Reviewing the Japanese Grand Prix, yet again, the regulations became the focal point for Croft and Brundle.
Brundle began by saying: “Clearly, we’ve got a lot of work to do with these new regulations.”
He highlighted issues from a driver’s perspective about being fully in control of the cars and also fan enjoyment, as “some of the overtakes were obviously too battery-driven”.
Brundle took a slightly more positive view, saying that he enjoyed it, but F1 “can do better”.
Croft took a harder stance, immediately stating in his review that “tweaks do need to be made”.
“Had the sport bitten off more than it could chew in a short space of time? It certainly feels that way”, he added.
As the sport has “tried to do too much”, Croft underlined several issues about the drivers.
With the closing speeds, leading to Oliver Bearman’s huge crash, being one of the biggest problems, Croft also called attention to Charles Leclerc’s loss of the love of qualifying, a sentiment shared by the fans.
Croft finished his piece on the regulations by talking about the threat of Max Verstappen leaving F1.
This has been a significant topic in the debate on the regulations, as Verstappen continues to be the most vocal driver negatively assessing the regulations.
In response to this, Croft added: “I don’t think it’s an idle threat either”.
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What happens next?
With criticism mounting from some of the sport’s most respected voices, the pressure is now firmly on F1’s governing body, the FIA, to respond.
While sweeping regulation changes are never without teething problems, the scale and intensity of the backlash suggest this may require adjustments.
Certain teams and drivers are pushing for urgent discussions.
With an unprecedented five-week pause in the action due to cancelled races, the FIA is having discussions about making small tweaks to the regulations, but will this be enough?
For now, the spotlight remains fixed on how quickly and effectively the sport can adapt, because if these early warnings prove accurate, F1 may need to rethink its direction before the new era fully takes hold.
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SportJustSport writers