Lawson says F1 drivers’ complaints are inevitable, safety remains top priority

Liam Lawson, the Red Bull junior, told RacingNews365 that the habit of “complaining about everything” is baked into a driver’s DNA and isn’t going away. He warned that, even as the FIA fine‑tunes the 2026 regulations, there will always be aspects of the car that drivers will want to improve.

Why it matters:

Driver feedback shapes regulation; persistent complaints highlight lingering gaps in car performance and safety. The recent safety concerns after Bearman’s crash have put pressure on the FIA to act quickly, while performance grievances affect qualifying battles and fan engagement.

The details:

• In the first three rounds of 2026, several drivers voiced disappointment with the new chassis and aerodynamic balance, prompting an “April crunch” meeting where the FIA agreed on minor tweaks.
• Lawson highlighted safety as the top priority, citing Bearman’s high‑speed impact in Japan as a reminder that car integrity must evolve faster than performance gains.
• He also noted that while regulations will inevitably evolve, drivers will continue to push for cars that are “nicer to drive,” especially in qualifying where extracting the limit feels constrained today.

What's next:

• The FIA’s April meeting will likely roll out safety‑focused updates—reinforced side‑impact structures and stricter crash‑test thresholds.
• Teams will keep fine‑tuning the 2026 spec, hoping to deliver a car that satisfies both the drivers’ desire for grip and the sport’s safety mandate.