Formula 1 is experiencing a ‘very fascinating’ championship, according to Stefano Domenicali, despite criticisms of the 2026 regulations. The category’s CEO responded to complaints made by drivers and emphasized that the return of the public has been widely positive.
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In a meeting with the press, Domenicali stated that the debate about the rules mainly takes place within the paddock itself, but highlighted that the fans’ perception is different. For him, the balance of the competition and the spectacle on the track show that the direction taken by the category is producing the expected results.
“There has been a debate about the technical regulations, mainly coming from our own ecosystem, some drivers and other people involved in the sport, but in summary, the championship is becoming very, very fascinating,” he said. The executive added that there is a lot of action on the track and that the public is focused on what happens during the races, without worrying about technical details such as energy management systems. Still, he highlighted that the category continues to listen to teams, manufacturers, and drivers in search of improvements.
The 2026 rules received criticism mainly because of the 50/50 split between the combustion engine power and the electric part of the power unit. The topic led to subsequent adjustments to avoid situations such as the inability to fully accelerate during qualifying sessions and excessive speed differences caused by battery recharging, which contributed to an incident involving Oliver Bearman at the Japanese GP.
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Even recognizing that the regulations can evolve, Domenicali defended the decisions made: “What was defined in the evolution of the regulations is the right path for the category. FIA has the opportunity to listen to manufacturers and drivers to improve it,” he said. He also emphasized that the rules were developed with clear objectives and highlighted the rapid technical evolution of the teams since the first race of the season: “If you look at the difference between the front teams and the evolution since the first race, it is simply phenomenal. This shows how much F1 can react to any technical challenge,” he added.
The CEO also highlighted the growth of the category off the track. According to him, the number of fans continues to increase, as does the presence of the public at circuits: “We want to attract new people and help them understand what our sport really is. Competition, technology, fun, and entertainment are the core messages we need to keep conveying,” he concluded.
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