Coup d'etat: Did you see the F1 official accounts censor critical comments?
BERTRAND GACHOT, ONYX, 1989 MONACO
Stefano Domenicali and Niklas Tombazis, have shame.
The whole debate over entertainment for some people defending the battery harvesting hybrids (aka energy starvation nonsense) is SINGULAR: they believe F1 MUST be cutting edge technology AND have the fanciest electronic aids to facilitate overtaking band aids. If you hate these 53/47 hybrids, then you surely must advocate for DRS. For them, "progress = better society". Just like Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution in China, the 4 olds must be expunged. Drivers getting hurt? Bad, career over. Mechanical failures? Terrible. Engine noise? Wasted, it's energy that could've been harvested. Manual gears? Inefficient, clunky that hampers the RPM.
For them, "more overtakes = better racing", even 2016 Chinese Grand Prix saw a comfortable 30 second victory for Nico Rosberg in spite of 160 overtakes. It never had a patch on 2003 British Grand Prix, where 2 safety cars, one of them activated by Neil Horan (a weird Irish priest invading the circuit) led to 70+ overtakes and pit stop traffic, most of which were encapsulating with Raikkonen and Toyota struggling to stay upfront. Barrichello, Montoya and Kimi was your Silverstone podium.
Yet I'm here to tell you this debate is indeed BINARY. I do not care for high volume of overtakes because I believe the art of defending & pit strategy is lost and disrespected. Bring back basic Brexit F1. No power steering, manual gears, basic cockpit displays (the RPM will deputise for the speedometer), a switch to adjust turbo boost mix, warning lights, 2 buttons for radio and drink....
Remember Fernando Alonso's defence versus Schumacher at 2005 San Marino Grand Prix? Alonso's 4 stop win at 2013 Spain (his most recent win to date)? Schumacher's superb 4 stop victory at 2004 France? Schumacher finishing 2nd at 1994 Spain with his car jammed in 5th gear? Ayrton Senna stuck in 6th gear and winning at 1991 Brazil? Jarno Trulli & Mark Webber defending for dear life throughout the 2000s for Renault, Toyota, Williams & Jaguar? Webber holding off Mika Salo for 5th in his Minardi at 2002 Australia?
This culture and attitude of complaining about F1 being boring over the past 35 years has led to these awful 2026 regs. It's rules created by people who don't care for F1: venture capitalists, feminists, failed communists and the green lobby. If my racing formula of 2010 F1 regs combined with Indycar rules, where the only differentiating factor is teams picking any 3 of 7 tyre compounds every weekend only PRODUCES 10 overtakes per race, so be it.
I want a purer spectacle again. I don't want to be discussing things like KERS, DRS, MGU-K, hybrids or whatever new gizmo EVER again. And this talk of making F1 exciting and challenging again is marketing schtick. Asinine, saccharine and inexplicable nonsense.I just gave up after the first 15 laps of Belinda Goldman's new and reinvented suboptimal "Grand Prix". Seeing cars bog down halfway through the straight was baffling and comedic.
As for my "the culture and attitude of complaining F1 is boring and needs its spectacle fixing" comment, I will hold myself responsible. Whether I fell asleep to a litany of cars waiting for pit stops under the refuel regs to leapfrog an opponent, hating the sight of Schumacher, Vettel and Lewis dominate, team orders or whatever stopped Raikkonen from winning, I have contributed to a very negative and toxic mentality.
I have to hold responsibility. F1 is a world championship. They should just allow things to play out naturally like they do for Olympics and various World Cups. You don't football fans asking for goal posts to made bigger now, do you? Other series like BTCC, NASCAR, INDYCAR and MotoGP does whacky races because otherwise no one would watch them.
And why do I apologise? Collectively, we enabled the green lobby and their safety experts to rewrite rules. Ultimately, these "snakes and ladders" hybrid regulations are written by people who HATE cars. They would designate humans and cram us into 15 minute cities if they wanted.
Look at this 1990 Leyton House. It was really a March-Judd CG901 designed by Adrian Newey. Ivan Capelli and Mauricio Gugelmin failed to qualify (DNQ) at Mexico, but at Paul Ricard, both cars were 1-2 for a while and Capelli clinched 2nd, losing the win to Prost's Ferrari.
It was a manual gear lever machine that didn't require complex electronics to operate: it was pure hydraulics, mechanics and aerodynamics. These drivers were enduring a seriously physical workout for 90 minutes per Grand Prix, co-ordinating their feet over 3 pedals and their hands over their steering wheels and multiple levers for anti-roll bars and brake bias. Power steering? Sorry, you must carry the weight of the steering rack in your arms.
HOW WOULD I THROW OUT THE MANUFACTURERS & GREEN LOBBY?
I would gain bargaining favours with the main European circuit organisers: Silverstone, Monaco, Catalunya, Hungaroring, Imola, Mugello, Jerez, Paul Ricard, Spa, Zandvoort, Portimao, Hockenheimring, Brno, Kymi Ring, Istanbul Park and set up talks with Poland and Romania for new street races. In addition, keep Montreal, COTA and Albert Park on board & reintroduce Yeognam (Korea). I would encourage Alonso and Verstappen to join the revamped old school F1.
I would force Liberty Media to sell the sport to an unnamed multi-billionaire and coerce FIA into ceding control of Formula 1. Goodbye, Ben Sulalem.
The manufacturers (Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull-Ford, Audi, Cadillac, Aston Martin, Honda & co) can create a new series called Formula A or X.
They can continue their hybrid battery harvesting nonsense in Asia, where circuits in nations like these can host:
Egypt, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman
China (3 races), Japan (Suzuka), Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia
Spain (Madring), Italy (Monza for Ferrari), Austria (Red Bull Ring)
Las Vegas, Miami, Mexico City & Interlagos.
With so many race hosts in Asia, teams will have to relocate their offices and factories to United Arab Emirates. In addition, they can launch their own junior series in West Asia and East Asia, which will serve as Formula A or X's support categories. The manufacturers will be forced to train local Asians to work as the mechanics and menial roles, as I'm not sure British, Swiss and Italian mechanics would be willing to relocate unless their salaries were doubled or even trebled.
My revamped F1
I'll put a budget cap of £25 million for the teams. The Asia/Pacific rounds in Australia & Korea will be back-to-back races held in March & North American rounds will be held entirely in June. As for the races held in October and November, I'll host them in Turkey, Portugal and 3 events in Spain. If an opportunity to host a street race in Greece emerges, then the Greek Grand Prix will replace one of the Spanish races. Other venues like Donington Park (despite its FIA Grade 2) may be available.
Drawbacks?
The engines will be turbocharged 2.4 litres with no hybrid batteries. Cosworth will design a straight (inline) 5 cylinder, Mecachrome will pen a V6 monster and Ferrari (with Prema running the defacto Ferrari factory team in revamped F1) will run a v8 revival. I expect these engines to reach 1000+ brake horsepower when optimised.
Refuelling? No. The fuel rigs cost money to build and travel. So the fuel tanks will have a maximum of 150 kilograms, but the race length will remain the identical 305 kilometres as before.
Tyres? Whoever designs them, there will be 7 compounds to choose from at all races. Yet teams are permitted to select 3 compounds, but those tyre compounds can be different to other teams' options. So Prema can pick C1, C3 and C4, whilst Carlin can carry C2, C4 and C7 for a certain race like Silverstone.
SUPPORT RACES
Formula 2 will be rebranded as A1GP, where the current Dallaras will be used to represent nations. A maximum of 2 drivers are eligible for points scoring for the nations, but only the best driver's results are included for the nations' championship. There will also be teams' championship included.
Formula 3 will be rebranded as Formula 2. A nations' cup may or may not be held. A drivers' and teams' championship will be held. Likewise Formula Regional shall be renamed as Formula 3. All junior series will feature clutch pedals and levers for the gear, anti-roll bar & brake bias like the revamped F1 championship.