The biggest annoyance drivers still have with 2026 F1 cars

Formula 1's rule tweaks ahead of the Miami Grand Prix improved the show, but drivers insist the 2026 cars still suffer from a fundamental flaw: you must drive slower in corners to go faster on straights. Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and others report that aggressive cornering penalizes top speed due to energy management constraints. Political infighting among manufacturers is delaying hardware fixes, and the core issue may not be resolved until 2028.

Why it matters:

The energy management problem undermines F1's DNA. Drivers should be rewarded for pushing cornering limits, but instead they are punished with reduced straight-line speed. If left unaddressed, it risks creating artificial racing and eroding driver and fan confidence in the sport's authenticity.

The details:

• Verstappen: "It's still punishing you. The faster you go through corners, the slower you go on the next straight. That's not what it should be about."
• Esteban Ocon described needing to over-push the first part of a corner to avoid throttle in the second part — a counterintuitive technique that rewards losing minimum speed.
• Root cause: the 50-50 ICE/electric power split and battery size limits mean the car lacks enough energy to run flat out. Harvesting energy on straights requires saving it in corners.
• Norris: "If you go flat out everywhere, you still get penalised... you have to get rid of the battery." But batteries are here to stay.
• Hardware fixes like increasing fuel flow could help, but require engine reliability upgrades and bigger fuel tanks — unlikely before 2028 given fixed designs and chassis carryover plans.
• Carlos Sainz highlighted the political gridlock: "You give the teams so much power, especially the PU manufacturers, that are going to fight like hell for their own interests." The GPDA will try to fast-track changes.

The big picture:

Miami's circuit masked the issue. Canada's long straights will expose the true nature of the 2026 cars. Fernando Alonso summed it up: "These power units will always reward going slow on the corners. With whatever strategy, you need energy on the straights, and you need to save it on the corners." The flaw is baked into the regulations, and a complete rethink may be required before drivers are truly satisfied.