The rise of engineer-focused rules in Formula 1 2026: What it means for racing

The 2026 Formula 1 season has introduced a new set of regulations that are sparking debate—not just in technical circles. Many commentators and journalists have called it an “engineer’s rulebook,” claiming it’s overly complex and focused on technicalities that distance the sport from its spectacle. But is that really the case? And what does it mean for the sport we love?

newsf1.it explored this topic with engineer Riccardo Romanelli on their Race Tech format, episode 143, to understand whether this Formula 1 is still the thrilling sport fans expect.

The regulation in detail: a constant “risk”

Riccardo Romanelli, an engineer at WC Cars and co-author of the book “Endolas Weck,” highlights a fundamental point: it’s not new for F1 regulations to be extremely detailed. When the FIA goes beyond guidelines and intervenes in the forms, volumes, and legality of technical choices, the regulations themselves become a “risk” for designers.

“It’s not so much the level of detail or the fact that some regulatory aspects influence performance that has changed the values on track,” Riccardo Romanelli explains. The crucial point, he says, lies elsewhere.

The key issue: energy split and “fake overtakes”

What Romanelli personally finds troubling in F1 2026 is the split of available energy: 50% from the internal combustion engine and 50% from the electric component. This split is generating on-track dynamics that are difficult to classify as traditional overtakes.

“From my perspective, many of the position changes we’re seeing cannot really be considered overtakes in the classic sense,” Romanelli states. Traditionally, an overtake occurs when two cars experience the same phase of the race simultaneously, with the driver’s skill, grip, and aerodynamic load deciding the outcome. Today, however, many position changes happen in mismatched energy states: while one car is braking, the other may have depleted its energy, meaning they are effectively in different operational conditions. This undermines the purity of competition and the sense of a true on-track duel.

Engineers serving the rules, not creating them

The idea that the regulations are “engineer-focused” is misleading. Engineers, by nature and profession, have had to work within constraints imposed from above.

“The project constraint is to represent, in some way, a direction often imposed by external factors—requiring certain engine types or movement patterns,” Romanelli clarifies, emphasizing that F1’s direction is shaped by economic, political, and global trends, not purely engineering goals.

If a secret poll were held among F1 engineers, Riccardo Romanelli believes “a strong majority would favor returning to a proper 10-cylinder ICE engine, even abandoning much of the electric component.” This shows that technological choices aren’t always driven purely by performance engineering, but by external directives.

Sustainable fuels and new challenges

We must also consider the “elephant in the room”: modern F1 power units rely on sustainable fuels, including those with green hydrogen. This is a complex topic that could merit a separate discussion, but it further highlights how F1 is aligning with global sustainability trends, often at the expense of technical simplicity and race spectacle.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the F1 2026 regulations, while offering extreme and fascinating engineering challenges, raise questions about the nature of competition and the fans’ perception of the spectacle. The gap between engineering potential and its impact on race dynamics is a hot topic that will continue to generate debate.

The transition to a 50/50 power split has fundamentally altered the “language” of overtaking in Formula 1. While the move toward green hydrogen and sustainable fuels keeps the sport relevant to global industry, the resulting “energy desync” between cars in a battle risks turning wheel-to-wheel combat into a technicality. Based on the content of Romanelli’s analysis, the challenge for 2026 is finding a way to make high-tech power management feel like real racing again.

What do you think of this new face of Formula 1? Do “fake overtakes” hurt the show? Let us know in the comments below!