Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

F1 urged to make immediate changes following frightening crash.
F1 and the FIA have been urged to make immediate changes to the new regulations for this season following Oliver Bearman's frightening crash during the recent Japanese Grand Prix.
7 Apr 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Oliver Bearman was fortunate to escape with nothing worse than a contusion to his right knee following a 50g impact with a barrier at Sukuka after avoiding running into the back of Franco Colapinto in his Alpine. The incident threw an uncomfortable spotlight on an area of racing that the FIA, in particular, opted to ignore heading into the race in Japan despite repeated warnings from the drivers.

Bearman was caught out by the significant closing-speed difference between himself and Colapinto as they used different energy deployment settings at that moment in the race. The Haas driver was travelling 50 km/h faster than his rival and felt he was not given adequate room on the inside before skating across the grass and into the barrier at high speed.

Post-race, the F1 drivers highlighted the seriousness of the incident and the dangers posed by the new power units in wheel-to-wheel action. F1 fans have also had their say in a RacingNews365 poll, and the overwhelming majority have made it clear that the FIA needs to react swiftly before the next race in Miami in early May to avoid a repeat situation.

‘F1 and the FIA have been urged to make immediate changes’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-urged-t...ghtening-crash


Damon Hill says 2026 F1 cars are ‘highly dangerous’ after Oliver Bearman’s Japanese GP crash
30 Mar 2026
Aaditya Krishnamurthy
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill claims ‘safety issue’ with new F1 regulations has been exposed. In response to the FIA’s post on X, where they defended the new regulations and vowed to look into the safety concerns, Damon Hill responded that there is a safety issue at play.

“I think we have a safety issue. Cars suddenly slowing at high speed is highly dangerous.” When informed of Carlos Sainz’s criticism of the new regulations, Hill agreed and noted that these concerns from him and other drivers are completely valid. “I think he’s right to be concerned. Cars unexpectedly slowing on the fastest parts of any circuit is tantamount to being ‘brake tested’. Lights are slightly too late to give enough warning.”

‘Highly dangerous’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...nese-gp-crash/


Martin Brundle questions legality of 2026 F1 cars
8 Apr 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle outlined his displeasure and alarm with the discovery, calling into question the car’s legality, believing the cars are becoming “self-learning” “Now, there’s a regulation in Formula 1, it’s been around for forever, it’s very simple and far-reaching,” he said on The F1 Show. “The driver must drive the car alone and unaided,” Brundle insists.

And article 27.1 of the sporting regulations does indeed mandate that a driver must pilot their vehicle independently, yet the current power units are overriding their input. “I think the problem the drivers have got; one thing that really worried me was Lando Norris saying ‘I didn’t want to overtake Lewis Hamilton, but my battery decided it did, and then I had nothing to defend with’.”

“The drivers shouldn’t have any surprises by a self-learning car. They’ve got to get rid of that. I’m sure it’s not the work of a moment, but the power delivery must be proportional to what the drivers are doing with the throttle. That’s the fundamental. It has to be linear. It’s a big issue for the FIA.”

‘Legality of 2026 F1 cars’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...-2026-f1-cars/


Marko urges FIA action: ‘The driving aspect needs to come back’
5 Apr 2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Former Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has delivered a blunt warning to Formula 1’s leadership and to the FIA, insisting urgent action is needed to rein in the sport’s increasingly complex regulations in a bid to bring the drivers back to the forefront of the competition.

At the heart of the issue lies the heavy reliance on hybrid systems, with battery deployment and software strategy often overshadowing driver input. For Marko, that balance has tipped too far. "On the chassis side, the deficit is quite large," the Austrian told Kleine Zeitung. "But Red Bull has a tradition of turning things like that around. It’s just all too complicated, and the software plays an overly dominant role."

Marko’s call to action is as direct as it is urgent. "Whether you can correct that within a single season, I don’t know," Marko continued. "Something has to be done, and the driving aspect needs to come back to the forefront. The mood among the drivers is negative. Adjustments need to be made now, and hopefully, the FIA will do everything it can to reduce the role of the battery and place more emphasis on the combustion engine."

‘Blunt warning’;

https://f1i.com/news/562492-marko-ur...come-back.html


Can F1 navigate its crossroads crisis?
7 Apr 2026
James Phillips and Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Crisis talks are scheduled this week between the FIA and the teams to address the 2026 F1 regulations. These meetings will prove crucial on the long road to securing the sport’s future and moving it away from the constant mocking, meming, and savage takedowns it has endured in the open races of the season.

Why change regulations when all that money is coming in, benefiting a select few, [most importantly you] and politically, you hold all the cards in the sport? And so, what if no one likes the new rules? Shareholders are delighted, and the $5k suits can be worn in the paddock, with the surplus income made can continue to be flaunted while fans pay big bucks to watch a substandard, dreadful and soul-destroying product.

Except, as with all gouging and asset extraction, there comes a point at which this becomes noticeable to the average consumer, and they lose interest. At this point, they stop paying with their wallets, while mocking the increasingly poor attempts by those involved to justify their decisions as the world begins to criticise and distance itself, interest rapidly declining. The wider world knows it’s a terrible choice, and even those responsible know, but they are forced to carry on regardless.

‘Crisis talks’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...sroads-crisis/


Lewis Hamilton: F1 drivers “have no voting rights” as FIA “only listening to teams”
F1 drivers are calling for rule changes to the 2026 cars, but FIA only listening to teams so far
29 Mar 2026
Lewis Duncan , Adam Cooper
Crash.Net

Complaints over F1’s new power unit regulations and the energy management required have continued to draw criticism from drivers at the Japanese Grand Prix. These have only been intensified following Ollie Bearman’s crash in Sunday’s race, when he was caught out by a 50km/h speed differential with Franco Colapinto’s Alpine.

While the drivers have been voicing their suggestions and feedback to the FIA, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton shot down suggestions on Sunday that they will hold any real influence. “The drivers don’t have a say,” he told the media, including Crash.net. “We have no power. We’re not on the committee; we have no voting rights.”


Stefano Domenicali has changed his mind about 2026 F1 rules after seeing Oliver Bearman crash
8 April 2026
Aaditya Krishnamurthy
F1 Oversteer

Stefano Domenicali and FIA reportedly refused to make changes to 2026 regulations till Hungarian GP. Speaking on the Nailing the Apex podcast, F1 journalist Julianne Cerasoli revealed that she had spoken to Stefano Domenicali and other members of the FIA prior to the Japanese Grand Prix.

Domenicali was reportedly bullish about the new regulations, refusing to make a change as he didn’t see any issues with the racing, and admitting that any changes would come only after the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I was talking to people from teams, and I spoke to Stefano (Domenicali), and spoke to the FIA. And they’re all saying, ‘No, the racing is fine. There are no issues with the racing.”

“We are only going to address qualifying because qualifying is absolutely ridiculous. For racing, we just need people to be more adjusted to the regulations, and all the stuff that you’re seeing that maybe isn’t right. It’s because of that nobody is optimising anything. So let’s wait until Hungary.’ That’s what I was hearing. Now, after what happened with Bearman, I think they will do something for Miami.”

‘Changed his mind’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ste...bearman-crash/

[Fortitude]

Esteban Ocon admits F1 career ‘disappointing’ despite win and podiums.
While Esteban Ocon is proud to be a grand prix winner, he made the honest admission that, to his mind, he has not “achieved enough” in the sport.
4 Apr 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

After almost 10 years on the F1 grid, one grand prix victory and a further three podiums does not cut it for Ocon. But, the Frenchman assured that he will keep striving to find the F1 success which he craves. At the F1 2026 season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Ocon was asked by PlanetF1.com and other accredited media, whether he thought he would have been World Champion 10 years into his F1 journey.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “I think it’s fair to say that I’m happy with what I’ve achieved in terms of podiums and wins, and I’m proud of those, but I haven’t achieved enough in F1. I’ve won in every category that I’ve driven in the past, apart from DTM maybe, with my half a year, but from karting to single seater, I’ve won everywhere.”

“And yes, I’ve won one race in F1, but it’s not enough. Out of 180 races, to my standard, it’s disappointing so far. So, I hope that this will change in the near future, but I will work hard for that to change.”

‘Disappointing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteba...win-not-enough


Haas score again amid Bearman’s 50kph overspeed crash and Ocon’s first point of the season
30 Mar 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Haas endured a turbulent but ultimately rewarding Japanese Grand Prix, marked by Esteban Ocon’s first point of the season and Oliver Bearman’s frightening high speed crash — a violent incident caused by an enormous closing speed that highlighted the challenges of Formula 1’s 2026 regulations. Ocon: “Overall, it was a positive weekend… we got the maximum out of the car.” Ocon’s race was shaped by the Safety Car, which cost him positions he had earned through a strong opening stint. Reflecting on the chaotic afternoon, he began with what mattered most.

“First of all, I'm glad that Ollie is okay.” But the Frenchman also acknowledged the frustration of repeated bad timing. “Unfortunately, though, it has been three out of three races where the Safety Car timing has been bad for us.” He described the ebb and flow of his race: “We had a decent start and it was going okay, then we lost to Gabi and Liam. I managed to overtake Gabi on track, but with Liam it wasn't possible.”

Ocon had hoped to join the thrilling battle unfolding ahead. “There was a nice fight between Max and Pierre ahead, so I would've liked to have been part of that, however, I got stuck behind Liam, so we'll never know if I could've been a part of it or not.” Despite the setbacks, he was satisfied with the team’s execution. “Overall, it was a positive weekend on our side and we got the maximum out of the car in every situation. It could've been a few positions better, but we can't control everything.”

“First of all, I'm glad that Ollie is okay”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28411


"Nightmare" F1 overtaking aid that 'sends you backwards' criticised
Esteban Ocon has been left frustrated by changes for the 2026 Formula 1 season, describing the boost as a "nightmare" that makes drivers "go backwards".
2 Apr 2026
Sam Hall
Crash.Net

Esteban Ocon has labelled Formula 1’s overtake “boost” system a “nightmare” after struggling to make progress at the Japanese Grand Prix. “Boost usage has been a nightmare, if you use it, you actually go backwards. So we just tried to stay on the baseline and keep pushing.”

F1 and the FIA has so far been focused improving the obvious problems in qualifying, with drivers being forced to lift and coast on what are supposed to be flat-out efforts to achieve the ultimate lap time. For Ocon, the focus of these talks needs to be the racing. He added: “I think it’s better to have bigger capacity in the tank, a bit more like last year.”

“To me, it’s energy hungry all of the time, and you can’t really plan anything, you can’t really try and get a move somewhere while overtaking, and it’s too much on the limit really. So, I think the fixes I understand for the lift and coast in quali, but it’s maybe 1% of the fix. There’s 99% that’s left on the table.”

"Nightmare";

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109284...w-era-problems


Japanese Grand Prix: Race Recap
29 Mar 2026
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

TGR Haas F1 Team finished with Esteban Ocon 10th, while Ollie Bearman retired, at the Japanese Grand Prix, held Sunday at the Suzuka Circuit. Ocon started from 12th place on Pirelli P Zero Yellow medium tires and picked up a spot through the opening lap, before slotting into the top 10 at the expense of Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. Ocon then passed Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad on lap six for ninth place, before pitting on lap 19 for White hard tires.

Ocon missed out on track position due to the timing of a subsequent safety car phase, allowing rivals to pit at reduced racing speed, and re-emerged P11. Ocon overhauled Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto to return to the top 10 and gave chase to Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, eventually taking the checkered flag in tenth. Ocon’s result ensured TGR Haas F1 Team has finished in the points at each race so far in 2026.

Esteban Ocon: "First of all, I'm glad that Ollie is okay. Unfortunately, though, it has been three out of three races where the safety car timing has been bad for us. We had a decent start and it was going okay, then we lost to Gabi and Liam. I managed to overtake Gabi on track, but with Liam it wasn't possible. There was a nice fight between Max and Pierre ahead, so I would've liked to have been part of that, however, I got stuck behind Liam, so we'll never know if I could've been a part of it or not. Overall, it was a positive weekend on our side and we got the maximum out of the car in every situation. It could've been a few positions better, but we can't control everything."

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/japa...x-race-recap-6


F1 oddity surprise as new unwanted record claimed
There is a major statistical oddity in the F1 record books as a new unwanted record has been claimed.
17 Mar 2026
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has claimed ownership of an unwanted F1 record after the Chinese Grand Prix: the most races without a pole position. Ocon has taken the record from a fellow Frenchman of this generation of driver, with Romain Grosjean managing a best of second on the grid from his 181 attempts, this coming at the 2012 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Check out the top 10 below!
Most F1 races without a pole position
F1 oddity surprise as new unwanted record claimed
Driver Number of races Best grid result
Esteban Ocon 182 3rd
Romain Grosjean 181 2nd
Pierre Gasly 180 2nd
Martin Brundle 165 3rd
Johnny Herbert 165 4th
Derek Warwick 164 3rd
Olivier Panis 158 3rd
Eddie Irvine 148 2nd
Eddie Cheever 143 2nd
Alex Albon 132 4th

‘F1 oddity surprise’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-oddity-...record-claimed

[Fortitude]

FIA reports 'constructive dialogue' in initial F1 rules meeting.
Formula One's governing body reported "constructive dialogue on difficult topics" in an initial meeting of technical experts on Thursday to discuss possible changes to the 2026 regulations.
10 Apr 2026
REUTERS
The Straits Times

The meeting in London was convened by the FIA and brought together representatives of the teams and power unit manufacturers to assess the situation after three races of the sport's new era. "It was generally agreed that although the events to date have provided exciting racing, there was a commitment to making tweaks to some aspects of the regulations in the area of energy management," the FIA said in a statement.

"There was constructive dialogue on difficult topics especially when considering the competitive nature of the stakeholders." Formula One has undergone the biggest change in decades with new chassis and engine rules. The new power units, split roughly 50-50 between electric and combustion power, have brought fresh challenges with drivers having to ease off the throttle early and coast into high-speed corners so the combustion engine can recharge the battery.

The FIA mapped out the schedule leading up to the next race in Miami in May, with a Sporting Regulations meeting on April 15 and another technical session on April 16. There will then be a "high-level meeting with representation from all stakeholders" on April 20 where preferred options proposed by the technical teams will be considered and a consensus sought.

'Constructive dialogue';

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...-rules-meeting


FIA, manufacturers open ‘constructive dialogue’ on F1 engine rules
09/04/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The FIA has laid out a rigorous timeline to ensure these changes are ratified swiftly. A Sporting Regulations meeting is set for April 15 to facilitate necessary technical shifts, followed by a second technical session on April 16 to finalize specific proposals. The process will culminate in a high-level summit on April 20, involving teams, F1 management, and OEM representatives.

The FIA detailed the collaborative spirit of the journey: "As part of the round of collaborative discussions, further meetings are planned over the coming fortnight... A high-level meeting with representation from all stakeholders is scheduled for April 20 where it is anticipated that preferred options jointly proposed by the technical teams will be considered and a consensus sought on the way forward." The governing body concluded by reaffirming the unity of the paddock.

"The 2026 regulations were developed and agreed in close partnership with teams, OEMs, Power Unit Manufacturers, the commercial rights holder and the FIA all at the table. It is in this spirit of collaboration that potential changes are being discussed,” it said. Once a consensus is reached, an e-vote will take place, with the final changes ratified by the World Motor Sport Council, likely in time for the summer stretch.

‘Constructive dialogue’;

https://f1i.com/news/562669-fia-manu...ine-rules.html


F1's plan for immediate rule tweaks after key summit - what we know
9 Apr 2026
JON NOBLE
The Race

A statement issued by the FIA afterwards made clear that the focus of debate was not about changes to improve the racing, but more about the energy starvation problems that have triggered wider issues. While there is a sense that opinions may not necessarily be aligned in terms of what needs to change and how it should be changed, there does appear to be consensus that some form of action needs to be taken.

The FIA said: “It was generally agreed that although the events to date have provided exciting racing, there was a commitment to making tweaks to some aspects of the regulations in the area of energy management. “There was constructive dialogue on difficult topics especially when considering the competitive nature of the stakeholders.” The FIA has laid out the framework for the process that will now take place before the next race.

A sporting regulations meeting is scheduled for April 15 to discuss any elements that are linked to that section of the rule book that would need to be altered to accommodate revised technical modifications. Then a further session of technical experts has been lined up for the following day, April 16, to follow up discussions from today's initial meeting as well as air any fresh topics that come up as a consequence of further evaluation. After that, team bosses will meet with senior figures from F1 and the FIA on April 20 to evaluate any agreed proposals with a view to getting them voted through the F1 Commission.

‘What we know’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...fficult-talks/


FIA issues statement following urgent meeting on future of 2026 F1 regulations
10 Apr 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

The FIA has issued a statement following the inaugural meeting between the governing body and Formula 1 teams over potential changes to the F1 regulations. F1 has come under fire since the new 2026 regulations were introduced, with claims of artificial racing due to the extreme battery-management requirements of the power units.

Safety concerns about differences in closing speeds across the available power modes then became impossible to ignore following Oliver Bearman’s horror crash at Suzuka. The FIA announced that it would engage in dialogue with the teams as speculation mounted that urgent changes are being considered to improve the racing spectacle, with a particular focus on qualifying.

‘FIA issues statement’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...1-regulations/


Revealed: What happened in first F1 rule change meeting
The FIA has revealed what went down in the first meeting about F1 rule tweaks for 2026.
09 Apr 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Formula 1's governing body the FIA has revealed what happened in the first round of talks to tweak the much-maligned new 2026 regulations. The first of a series of meetings aimed at deciding potential changes to F1's rules took place on Thursday, with senior technical figures involved in the initial discussion of ideas that could be implemented to address some issues that arose across the opening three race weekends.

In Thursday's meeting the FIA said "constructive dialogue" took place and revealed "it was generally agreed that although the events to date have provided exciting racing, there was a commitment to making tweaks to some aspects of the regulations in the area of energy management."

‘What happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109295...change-meeting


F1 2026 regulations: FIA confirm 'commitment to making tweaks to some aspects of regulations' after meeting
FIA have revealed their commitment to making 'tweaks' to energy management regulations following a meeting on Thursday; This was the first of the pre-arranged meetings with two more confirmed for April ahead of Miami Grand Prix
10 April 2026
Sky Sports

Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz have been particularly vocal about their disapproval, with the four-time world champion claiming he is considering leaving the sport. Sainz, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, revealed that the drivers held a meeting with the FIA in Suzuka where single-seater director Nicolas Tombazis said changes would be made for the next round in Miami in early May. Carlos Sainz says he's hopeful the FIA will come up with 'better regulations' ahead of Miami after Ollie Bearman suffered a big crash during the Japanese Grand Prix.

"I was so surprised when they said 'we will sort out qualifying and leave the racing alone because it's exciting'. As drivers, we have been extremely vocal that the problem is not only qualifying, but also racing," Sainz said. "We have been warning this kind of accident will always happen. In Suzuka, we were lucky there was an escape road. Imagine going to Baku or Singapore, or Las Vegas and having these kind of closing speeds.”

"As the GPDA, we have warned the FIA these accidents will happen a lot with this set of regulations and we need to change something soon if we don't want it to happen. I hope it serves as an example and the teams listen to the drivers and not so much to the teams and some people that said 'the racing is OK', because the racing is not OK."

‘Nicolas Tombazis said changes would be made for the next round in Miami in early May’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...-after-meeting