Sebastian Vettel criticizes the brand new laws: “Vehicles are too heavy, Components 1 is shedding its essence”
The brand new period of Components 1 is formally on the horizon, at the very least on paper. Beginning in 2026, a set of laws designed to reshape the very face of the game will come into impact. These guidelines promise to modernize the championship and push the technical boundaries, however not everybody within the paddock is able to have a good time them. Among the many most vocal skeptics is four-time Components 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, who has not held again in expressing his issues a couple of regulatory framework that he considers timid and missing in ambition.
As a long-time observer and skilled on the technical evolution of Components 1 equipment, Sebastian Vettel has particularly targeted his criticism on the general weight of the automobiles. The brand new guidelines will scale back the minimal weight from the present 798 kilograms to 768 kilograms, a lower of solely 30 kilograms. For Vettel, that is merely a beauty change fairly than a significant technical enchancment. He emphasised to Auto Motor und Sport that “It’s like a drop within the ocean. Vehicles ought to weigh at the very least 200 kilograms much less to make an actual distinction.”
Vettel’s stance will not be pushed by nostalgia for previous eras of Components 1, however fairly by the agency perception that lighter automobiles would offer a extra thrilling spectacle. In response to the German driver, considerably decreasing car weight would make races extra thrilling, emphasize driving ability over strategic administration, and permit groups to discover efficiency enhancements with out being overly constrained by gas or tire administration. He insists {that a} substantial lower in weight would carry advantages throughout all areas: higher gas effectivity, enhanced automobile dealing with, and racing that’s much less depending on conservative methods.
Nevertheless, the dialogue isn’t just concerning the numbers on the dimensions. Sebastian Vettel has additionally expressed concern concerning the new guidelines concerning power restoration programs. He believes that the deliberate options may compromise the stability and dynamics of the automobiles, probably resulting in growth paths which can be tough to manage and will inadvertently hurt the supposed evolution of the game. “We have to rigorously monitor the path that technical growth takes,” Sebastian Vettel warned, “as a result of there’s a danger that the laws may generate results reverse to what was initially supposed.”
Sebastian Vettel’s feedback arrive simply days after Oscar Piastri expressed his assist for the upcoming laws, highlighting a transparent divide inside the Components 1 group. Whereas some drivers and groups see the 2026 guidelines as a step ahead in the direction of higher sustainability, technological innovation, and modernization of the game, others worry that the class could turn out to be burdened not solely by way of numbers however, extra importantly, in spirit. The talk highlights a central rigidity: can Components 1 embrace progress whereas remaining true to its core values of agility, unpredictability, and uncooked velocity?
This conflict of views underscores the uncertainty surrounding the way forward for Components 1. Will the 2026 laws restore the game to its roots, emphasizing nimble, thrilling, and visually spectacular racing? Or may they inadvertently lead the sequence to lose a number of the qualities that made it the top of motorsport? The approaching years will reveal whether or not the game can stability innovation with custom or if it dangers being weighed down by its personal engineering ambitions.
Because the paddock and followers put together for these modifications, the opinions of technical and strategic specialists like Sebastian Vettel will play a vital function in shaping the dialogue. Whereas the championship has all the time been a laboratory for cutting-edge engineering, there may be rising concern that the essence of what makes Components 1 so fascinating—driver ability, racecraft, and unpredictability—could be compromised if weight reductions and power restoration methods aren’t adequately bold.

In the end, the Components 1 of 2026 might be a take a look at of whether or not trendy technical laws can coexist with the game’s elementary values. Lighter, extra agile automobiles with considerate power administration may reignite the fun of on-track battles, whereas laws which can be perceived as too cautious could go away followers and drivers questioning whether or not the game is really shifting ahead or just evolving in kind fairly than spirit. Sebastian Vettel’s outspoken critique highlights the necessity for boldness in shaping the long run, reminding the group that innovation alone will not be sufficient if it doesn’t improve the spectacle and competitiveness of Components 1.
The continuing debate makes it clear that the upcoming regulatory modifications are greater than technical changes—they’re a possible turning level for the game, able to influencing race methods, automobile growth philosophies, and fan engagement. As groups and drivers put together to adapt, the strain between modernization and custom might be intently watched, and the voices of skilled champions like Sebastian Vettel will proceed to resonate throughout the paddock.
Aug 25, 2025
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