Martin Brundle has expressed serious concerns regarding Formula 1’s 2026 regulations after Lando Norris disclosed that his vehicle passed Lewis Hamilton entirely without his intention at the Japanese Grand Prix, reports BritPanorama.
The McLaren driver explained this unusual situation following Sunday’s race, stating: “I didn’t even want to overtake Lewis, it’s just about the battery deploys, and I don’t want it to deploy, but I can’t control it.” As a result, he found himself overtaking Hamilton unexpectedly due to the car’s energy management.
Speaking on Sky F1’s ‘The F1 Show’ podcast, Brundle revealed that this incident was more troubling to him than Oliver Bearman’s significant crash at Spoon, a topic that had dominated earlier regulatory discussions. He emphasized that the sport has a straightforward regulation requiring drivers to operate their vehicles independently and without assistance.
“The driver shouldn’t have any surprises by a self-learning car. They’ve got to get rid of that,” he stated, insisting that power delivery must align with throttle input to maintain the integrity of racing.
Brundle described the incident as a considerable challenge that the governing body must tackle urgently. He noted the importance of safety within the sport, with spectators occupying the top priority as attendees who have not accepted any risk during events.
He pointed out that the governing body, the FIA, must act swiftly before the next race in Miami, given the growing concerns among drivers regarding the current regulations. “So if a car flies into the crowd now and they haven’t done something, shown some due diligence on this, then the FIA will be in for the high jump,” he warned, highlighting the urgency of addressing safety measures.
Brundle acknowledged the technical difficulties affecting the sport, noting that current motors produce three times the electrical output compared to previous seasons, leading to faster battery depletion on longer straights. “This is fundamentally flawed, yet I believe they can smooth some of these elements out,” he conceded.
Despite the frustrations voiced by drivers about the new rules, Brundle observed a positive reaction from fans he has interacted with, who appreciate the competitive racing brought on by the 2026 regulations. “Fans I’ve met, I take a lot of trouble at the moment to say, ‘Who do you support? Are you enjoying F1 this season?'” he remarked, highlighting their enthusiastic participation in the sport this year.
The evolving dynamics of Formula 1 regulations underline a complex relationship between technology and traditional racing, where even the slightest miscalculation can yield unpredictable outcomes on the track.
