Formula 1 targets return to pure qualifying performance without energy saving. Formula 1 admits qualifying is being compromised by energy management.

F1 | Qualifying: Formula 1 acknowledges the issue and aims to return to the true limit

Within Formula 1, a growing and increasingly clear conviction is taking hold: qualifying must return to being a pure challenge, defined by total attack and driver bravery, rather than by constant calculations related to energy consumption. This point was expressed very clearly by former Ferrari Sporting Director Laurent Mekies, who, following the Japanese Grand Prix, explained how there is now a shared direction among teams, the FIA, Formula 1 management, and the drivers themselves. “If there is one thing we all agree on – teams, FIA, F1 and drivers – it is the desire for qualifying at the limit.”

This is a strong and significant message, one that perfectly captures the growing dissatisfaction surrounding sessions that are increasingly influenced by the need to carefully manage electrical energy deployment. According to many insiders within the paddock, the outcome is that the single flying lap has lost part of its most spectacular and instinctive nature. What was once a raw and uncompromising display of speed and skill is now often shaped by strategic compromises that reduce the visual intensity of qualifying.

Why drivers can no longer push flat out

At the heart of the issue are the technical regulations linked to the new generation of power units, which are more dependent than ever on the electrical component, now central to overall performance. This evolution has fundamentally changed the way qualifying is approached. Instead of pushing to the absolute maximum in every sector of the circuit, drivers are forced to carefully modulate their performance, lift off the throttle at certain points, or avoid attacking specific corners with the same aggression seen in previous eras. All of this is done to conserve energy and deploy it where it can deliver the greatest lap time advantage.

While this approach has opened up interesting and complex strategic scenarios during races, the verdict for qualifying sessions is far more critical. Laurent Mekies addressed this aspect without hesitation: “As soon as we improve qualifying so that it becomes fully flat-out again, races will automatically be characterised a little less by tactical games.” His words underline a broader issue that goes beyond pure technical considerations. It is also about the identity of Formula 1 itself, where qualifying has traditionally been the ultimate test of raw talent, precision, and courage over a single lap.

2027 as the real turning point

However, an immediate intervention appears unlikely. Modifying such complex and delicate technical regulations during an ongoing regulatory cycle is not a straightforward task, especially in the absence of urgent safety concerns. For this reason, the most realistic target appears to be the 2027 season, which Mekies himself identified as the ideal moment to implement meaningful changes and properly address the issue.

“Personally, I think the focus should be on fixing things properly for 2027,” he explained, suggesting that only limited adjustments may be possible for the 2026 season. Despite these challenges, overall performance levels remain extremely high. Lap times continue to be competitive, and the cars still deliver remarkable levels of acceleration and technological sophistication.

Yet, the discussion now goes beyond the stopwatch. The real question facing Formula 1 is a broader one: the championship wants qualifying sessions where the fastest driver can prove it without having to constantly manage battery usage. In other words, the goal is to restore a format where pure performance, instinct, and commitment once again define the fight for pole position.