Source:REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
[Saba Sports News] Controversy over the new regulations for the 2026 season continues to escalate. Ahead of the upcoming rule evaluation meeting, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has made it clear that qualifying performance should be the top priority for adjustments at present.
In his view, aside from safety issues, restoring drivers’ ability to push flat-out in qualifying is key to determining the success or failure of the new rules. While the new-generation cars have increased the number of overtakes, they have also exposed clear weaknesses. With battery energy management emerging as a critical factor in lap time, drivers can no longer push consistently at full tilt throughout a single lap. Instead, they must optimize energy usage by lifting off the throttle and coasting. This driving style has altered traditional racing logic, forcing drivers to prioritize battery management over limit-breaking control in key corners.
The issue was particularly evident at Suzuka Circuit in Japan. In the past, the corners at Suzuka were iconic sections that tested drivers’ courage and precision. But under the current rules, drivers often deliberately conserve energy, even avoiding acceleration, to ensure efficient power deployment on the straights. Stella believes such changes have diminished the circuit’s inherent challenge and stripped qualifying of its pure competitive essence.
In the editor’s opinion, achieving full-attack qualifying within the existing technical framework is no easy task. Constraints on battery performance and powertrain systems have become practical limitations, and any changes must strike a balance between safety, performance and spectacle.