Everything will change in Formula 1 in 2026, and according to Ivan Capelli, the upcoming season will be a real enigma. How much the new technical regulations will revolutionise Formula 1 is something nobody can say for certain—not even the people working inside the paddock, who are preparing to face one of the most uncertain seasons in recent memory.
Ivan Capelli spoke to FanPage.it about the difficulties that teams and drivers will have to deal with under the new rules. The former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Sport F1 commentator described a paddock atmosphere filled with what he called “a lot of tension.”
“The teams do not have a real awareness of where they stand, because the simulations everyone has carried out are producing very different results,” he explained. “They are very far apart from each other, and some have admitted to running simulations that are three or four seconds slower than others. This only adds more confusion at the moment. Obviously every team, every driver, every engineer, every team principal hopes they have found the best idea and the best package. But nobody knows, nobody has any certainty.”
This general confusion also affects the drivers themselves. Capelli explained that even though they have tested the cars on simulators and evaluated the new concepts, doubts have already emerged for many of them. “They have doubts, they do not know whether they will be able to exploit everything the car offers. In any case, for everyone it is an opportunity, but it could also represent an abyss.”
F1 2026, not everyone will adapt according to Capelli
Speaking as a former driver, Ivan Capelli recalled experiencing a major technical change firsthand during his own Formula 1 career. “In 1993 there was an important regulation change when the tyres became significantly smaller. During the first races with Jordan, and even in the early tests, I struggled to understand where the limit was, because the car felt completely different,” he recalled.
“All the drivers now have simulators and can approach the changes step by step, but the fact remains that it is not guaranteed that all twenty drivers will feel comfortable with the new regulations. There will be someone who struggles, and those with more years behind them could end up not fully understanding this latest regulatory change.”
F1 2026, veteran drivers could struggle the most
“This will be a huge challenge for all of them,” Ivan Capelli continued, still referring to the 2026 regulations. According to the Sky Sport analyst, the drivers who could face the greatest difficulties are the veterans.
“Because adapting your instinct, which was formed many years ago and has become deeply ingrained, will not be easy. You do certain things because they come naturally, but if you have to rebuild them—because you need to think about them and they are no longer instinctive—then you have to adapt.”
By contrast, younger drivers and rookies are expected to feel much more comfortable with the changes. “For a young driver who is still a blank sheet, it is easier. They have more ‘space’ to add new things, whereas someone with 20 years of Formula 1 experience has less room to add more,” Ivan Capelli concluded.
The transition into 2026 is shaping up to be more than just a mechanical overhaul; it is a psychological battleground that could reshape the hierarchy of the grid. If Ivan Capelli’s assessment holds true, the “muscle memory” that has served champions for decades could suddenly become their greatest liability. As the “blank slates” of the rookie class prepare to take on the established legends, the 2026 season promises to reveal exactly who possesses the ultimate racing trait: the ability to reinvent themselves when the world of F1 turns upside down.
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