Mansell hails “fabulous” decision to refine 2026 F1 regulations

Formula One has seen an unprecedented month-long break due to geo-political situations in the world. The sport, and the circus that comes with it, is set to return next weekend for the Miami Grand Prix.

The big development during this break has been a series of refinements to the 2026 regulations, agreed upon this week by the FIA and all stakeholders. The adjustments, which include a reduction in energy harvesting limits and a significant increase in peak "superclip" power, are designed to address the "counterintuitive" driving styles that have plagued the opening three rounds of this new season.

1992 Formula One World Drivers’ Champion, Nigel Mansell, believes these tweaks represent a necessary intervention. The first three races in Australia, China, and Japan have highlighted the growing pains of the 50/50 electrical-thermal power split and the break in the calendar has provided a moment for the governing body to pivot. For the man who famously wrestled with the titans of the turbo era, the return to a driver-centric focus is the only way forward for the "grand stallion" of global motorsport.

Prioritising the driver over the computer

The consensus reached by the stakeholders on Monday aims to reduce the "superclipping" that has seen cars harvesting energy even at full throttle - a phenomenon that has frustrated the grid. Mansell is heartened by the fact that the authorities are finally engaging in open dialogue with the teams and manufacturers to rectify these technical hurdles.

"I think the fabulous thing is that everyone's talking. It's been a massive change in regulations, both with the car and the engine. I think there's going to be improvements with the harvesting of power. Hopefully, they won't be slowing down too much into some of the corners now.”

Two-time World Drivers’ Champion Fernando Alonso reportedly joked that even a chef can drive the car because of the reduction in speed due to ERS, a sentiment that Mansell fully supports.

"I think it is so vitally important for the drivers to be able to drive the cars to the maximum, as opposed to having a computer telling them when they can brake or can't brake. Fernando Alonso made us all laugh by saying that his chef could drive the car better than he could at the moment.”

"We have to get back to normality. Formula One is the grand stallion of all racing worldwide and we mustn't lose sight of that. And as technology gathers pace, they can do these other tweaks to do 50/50 later but they just need to give more power to the cars at the moment to go racing.”

The hope is that the upcoming Grand Prix in Miami will showcase a more refined product.

"As long as it doesn't carry on for much longer they'll be fine. They're all doing a great job. What the manufacturers have done, the FIA, the governing body and Liberty Media themselves.”

"They mustn't lose sight of the fact that the cars need to race properly. It has some growing pains but it has been the most difficult start of any year because they've had three races and then this month or so off. And now we've got Miami so I think everyone's excited about that at the end of next week as we can get racing again.”

"I'm very optimistic that Miami will be a much better presentation.”

An unprecedented break and Mercedes’ advantage

The 2026 season has been marked by an unusual gap in the schedule, leaving teams and fans waiting for the restart. This hiatus can also be seen as a double-edged sword for Toto Wolff and Mercedes, who have emerged with a clear power unit advantage. Despite all the betting sites having them as clear favourites to win the Constructors Championship, the break might have felt like a missed opportunity to build an insurmountable lead, a sentiment echoed by Mansell.

"If you're Mercedes you must be incredibly frustrated because you could have gotten a big lead in the championship.”

"The people who are struggling, they'd go 'oh, thank you!'. They get a bit more time to sort things out and get ready for the next race.”

"It's on both ends of the spectrum. Some people are going to feel very comfortable with it and some will feel frustrated. It's racing anyway. There's always something going on.”

Despite the tweaks to energy parameters, Mansell expects the Silver Arrows to maintain their edge.

"I don't think so because we haven't had a proper race yet, if you're a purist. Mercedes have done such a fantastic job, they'll have an advantage all through the year. Their engine is better than anybody else's.”

"We're talking purely here about harvesting power and drivers being able to race the cars on the track and at every corner as much as they can. So it's a different thing altogether".

"I still think Mercedes will have an advantage all through the year but it's a big development. It's a big development with the cars, with the engines. A month is a very long time and we could see a lot of changes in Miami. Once we get racing properly, everything can stay stable again. It's just that everybody is not racing properly at the moment".

Safety, stability, and the "minefield" of modern engineering

The complexity of the 2026 regulations has already had physical consequences, with Oliver Bearman suffering an injury during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend attributed to erratic harvesting profiles. This has led to a surge in sympathy for the current crop of drivers who feel the sport has become an engineering exercise rather than a contest of skill.

"I have tremendous sympathy, and support the drivers one hundred percent with what they're saying. They need to be listened to. They've got a job to do and they do a fantastic job, all of them.”

"It's all well and good, coming up with new ideas and regulations. All I'd say to the powers that be is that they've done a fantastic job but they have to work and they have to be able to be implemented safely and properly.”

"When they've tweaked it enough that it works, it's fantastic. But until it does work properly for everybody, we need to keep tweaking it, I think urgently now so that we get the show on the road.”

The ex-Williams driver further adds that the technology became a bit more complicated than it should have been which unfortunately made things less stable.

"I think we just need some stability. I won't say it's too advanced for even my mind to compute exactly what has to be done, but it shouldn't be this complicated. I think that's the easiest way to explain this. It shouldn't be this complicated and you shouldn't have cars harvesting at different times because that's not racing and it's dangerous. We've already hurt one driver (Oliver Bearman) in Japan, got away with it.”

He reflected on the simpler times of the 1970s and 80s, where the mechanical parity of the Cosworth DFV engine allowed for pure racing, contrasting it with today’s "minefield" of software and electrical harvesting.

"In engineering terms, if it's not broken, you don't try to fix it. People don't understand that there's major changes which have been in place for some time. It takes a lot of time for all the teams and manufacturers to put it all together.”

"So the complexity of the rules is enormous and if you don't get it right, along with the combination of the power units, harvesting of electrical power, and so on and so forth. It's a minefield.”

"Drivers can fall foul of so many regulations and yet it's the computers doing it all. I'd just like to see more power to the elbow of the drivers, as opposed to computers doing it.”

"Going back to the 70s and 80s, 90+ percent of the engines were Cosworth DFV. Everyone had the same engines pretty much and we had fantastic racing. You knew the cars, the drivers, the tyres, the mechanics and the engineers made a huge difference.”

"Yes we're in the computer age but racing should be as stable as it can be, for everyone to be able to catch up to compete. Everyone's mooting it would be great to have the V10s back for the noise. If you're a purist, the answer is yes. Everybody makes their own V10 and it'll sound fantastic because it's the pinnacle of motorsport.”

The "catastrophic" struggles of Aston Martin and Honda

Perhaps the biggest shock of the 2026 season has been the poor performance of Aston Martin and their new engine partner Honda. With legendary designer Adrian Newey at the helm, Aston Martin was expected to be a frontrunner in a year with new regulations. Instead, the team has found itself trailing at the back of the grid, battling severe technical issues.

"A terrible example to look at is what's happening to Aston Martin and Honda, because they started their engine development programme years behind everyone else. Who would've thought that the best designer in Formula One history, Adrian Newey, and Lawrence Stroll doing a fantastic thing with Aston Martin, would be virtually last in the race and on the grid, and have a problem even competing.”

"I think the whole world is in shock. The whole racing world is in shock, I mean, now, let's be fair, everybody thought, including myself, Aston Martin would be a front runner this year. And to have the, literally, I think the word would be quite correct to use, the catastrophic challenges that they've got, and to hear the kind of things that the drivers are having to be subjected to with the vibrations and that and possible nerve damage, it's, it's almost unheard of, and so, yeah, it's a little bit worrying. It really is, and I really hope for them, that they can overcome some of the challenges quickly, but from what I understand, it's not gonna be quick, it's going to be a long haul thing.”

According to the 31-time Grand Prix winner, a certain level of naivety may have led to this situation, specifically regarding how late the project was ramped up.

"Naivety as well. I think it's a bit naive that any engine manufacturer thinks they can come in, a year or so behind all the other manufacturers, and think they can be competitive without all that. From what I've been told, a lot of the past engineers had been let go to different projects, because they started late with this new project, so they've started again with a completely new team, and it's going to be very tough for them.”

"But if they have the staying power and the patience, they will get it right. It's a disappointment in between, and as a big racing fan, I'm so upset for them and so disappointed for them and disappointed for the fans to see the struggle they're having.”

Max Verstappen's future and the Miami microscope

Amidst the technical chaos, the future of the sport's current talisman, Max Verstappen, remains a major talking point. The four-time World Champion, a vocal critic of the 2026 regulations, was recently driving in a different discipline, as he was competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Amidst rumours that he could leave Red Bull or Formula One itself, Mansell urges the media and fans to calm down with speculation.

"I didn't follow that but I'm a huge fan of Max Verstappen and what he's achieved. He's just very frustrated that he can't input himself into the car at the moment so he's doing other things to enjoy himself.”

"Personally when I was in Formula One, I only focused on Formula One. I think there's a lot of distractions going on at the moment so people have different thoughts on that. There's only special individuals who can consider doing that.”

"No one's bigger than the sport but it would be a great disappointment (if he leaves Formula One). I just think it's rhetoric and he's showing his displeasure. He doesn't feel he's being listened to and a lot of the drivers have the same. It's just that Max Verstappen is a four-time World Champion so they use him more as a mouthpiece.”

"All the drivers I know and have spoken to, everyone is very disgruntled at the moment. It'll all settle down.”

Verstappen, and the entire grid will be back in action next weekend for the fifth edition of the Miami Grand Prix and Mansell is hoping that the refinements make for better racing for the drivers.

"The FIA is working very diligently. Liberty Media have done a fantastic job with the ownership of Formula One and where they've taken it. The manufacturers, obviously for all of them it is very important to get all of it right. I think the tweaking that's going on will go a long way, hopefully, in making the drivers happier.”

"Hopefully going forward, the governing body and everybody to do with it, does a much better job for Miami for everybody and themselves.”

"I hope everything settles down and we have a great race in Miami.”

The British legend will be in attendance to see if these refinements can salvage the spectacle.

"Well, I'll let you know firsthand I'm gonna be there this year for one of the days, so I'm gonna go and have a look. This is my first time in Miami. I haven't been there but Miami is a great spectacle. I think every year when any race returns, there's improvements.”

"I think Miami, because the focus is on it, could be one of the pivotal races this year with all the new tweaks. I think Miami's got hype because obviously without going into the negativity of what's happening in the war, with this month off, everybody's hungry to go racing again. So Miami's going to be under the microscope, and I think it's going to be a fantastic race down there.”