Piastri warns F1 changes ‘haven’t fixed problem’ after Miami speed shock

Oscar Piastri has warned that Formula 1's recent engine management tweaks have not resolved the core issue of excessive closing speeds, calling George Russell's overtake in the Miami Grand Prix "pretty crazy." The modifications, which reduced the harvesting limit in qualifying and capped boost mode power in the race, were intended to improve safety and racing quality. But Piastri insists the grand prix experience remains virtually unchanged, with drivers still facing unpredictable speed differentials.

Why it matters:

The safety and quality of racing in F1's current engine era have been under scrutiny, with drivers complaining about battery harvesting and "super clipping." The FIA's mid-season tweaks were a response, but Piastri's comments suggest they are insufficient. If the problem persists, it could lead to more drastic measures or force a rethinking of the 2026 engine regulations.

The details:

• Piastri acknowledged that reducing the harvest limit from 8 MJ to 7 MJ in qualifying has "helped a bit" but hasn't fixed all problems.
• For the race, the FIA capped maximum boost power at 150 kW and limited MGU-K deployment to 250 kW in certain parts of the lap.
• However, Piastri said the races are "basically exactly the same" and noted that his Miami experience — overtaking and defending — felt unchanged.
• Key moment: George Russell was one second behind Piastri at the start of a straight and managed to complete the overtake by the end of it, a closing speed Piastri described as "pretty crazy."
• Piastri also felt that one of Russell's moves was aggressive, but admitted he nearly did the same move five laps later because the speed differential is "enormous."

What's next:

Piastri believes the only real solution is a change to the engine formula itself, but that cannot happen until 2031 at the earliest — though the FIA is pushing for a V8 return in 2030. "There are only so many things you can change with the hardware we have," he said. "Some changes in the future are still needed for sure. How quickly we can do it is the big question."