Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has joined the chorus of criticism aimed at the sport’s 2026 regulations, warning it is “critical not to lose the DNA and the heart of the sport.” The retired driver, who left Formula 1 at the end of 2022, made the comments during a press conference in Sweden where he received an award for environmental and social work from The Perfect World Foundation.
According to RaceFans, Vettel sympathizes with current drivers who have complained the 2026 rules reduce the challenge of driving flat-out, make overtaking too easy and common, and pose safety risks.
Vettel’s Concerns
“From a sporting side I hear and echo the criticism,” Vettel said, “because the cars are probably fun to drive but it’s probably not so much fun to race because of the regulations and the difficulties that come with that.”
The German driver, who won four consecutive championships with Red Bull Racing from 2010 to 2013, emphasized the fundamental purpose of Formula 1: “I sympathise with the drivers and I’m very critical not to lose the DNA and the heart of the sport, which is finding the fastest driver in the fastest machine to win the race.”
Vettel stressed the importance of driver satisfaction to the sport’s broader appeal. “I hope from a sporting point of view that’s what they’re trying to address makes the drivers happier,” he said, “because ultimately the drivers are the face of the sport. If they come out of the car and they’re full of adrenaline and very excited, it’s what makes people excited on the screens and in the stands as well.”
Growing Chorus of Criticism
Vettel joins several former Formula 1 drivers in criticizing the 2026 technical regulations. Fellow world champion Nigel Mansell said the cars “[appear] in the first races that they’re not actually racing at times.”
Helmut Marko, the former Formula 1 driver who helped Vettel reach the sport 20 years ago and currently serves as Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, has been particularly critical of the energy deployment rules. “A full battery overtaking an empty one […] is not real overtaking,” Marko said.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has dismissed such criticism. “What is artificial?” Domenicali said in a recent interview. “Overtaking is overtaking.”
FIA Response
The FIA has approved a wide range of changes to the 2026 regulations, most of which will come into force ahead of next week’s round in Miami. The modifications address specific concerns raised by drivers about energy management, overtaking frequency, and the challenge of extracting maximum performance over race distance.
The 2026 regulations represent Formula 1’s most significant technical overhaul in years, introducing new chassis designs, power units running approximately 50 percent electric power, and active aerodynamics. The rules were intended to improve racing and align with environmental sustainability goals, but the early races of the season have exposed unforeseen consequences in competitive balance and driver engagement.
Whether the FIA’s approved changes will address the concerns raised by Vettel and active drivers will be tested when the revised regulations take effect at the Miami Grand Prix on April 27. The sport faces a delicate balance: maintaining the technical challenge that defines Formula 1 while delivering competitive racing that engages both participants and spectators.
Vettel received his award from The Perfect World Foundation for work promoting environmental and social change. Previous recipients include broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, and Prince Albert II of Monaco.