Fernando Alonso says 2026 F1 overtaking needs no ‘driver talent’

Alonso sharpens criticism of 2026 rules

Fernando Alonso has delivered another forceful assessment of Formula 1’s 2026 regulations, arguing after the British Grand Prix that the current style of racing places too much emphasis on energy deployment and too little on driver craft.

At Silverstone, that dynamic was particularly visible. The high-energy layout produced what has been described as ‘yo-yo’ racing, with cars gaining and losing straight-line advantage depending on available deployment. The sprint race featured repeated battles shaped by those energy swings, a pattern Alonso clearly does not believe reflects the essence of Formula 1 overtaking.

‘You just press one button’

Alonso’s central complaint was blunt: he believes the new rules can make passing too dependent on power unit advantage rather than risk, timing or braking skill.

“So there is not any driver input or driver talent needed to overtake a car in front of you,” he said. “You don't need to outbrake anyone, you don't need to overtake on the outside, you don't need to take any risk.”

“You just press one button, and you overtake if you have a better power unit than the car in front.”

That criticism lands in the context of a difficult season for Aston Martin. Alonso finished outside the points at Silverstone, while his AMR26 also shut itself off during the formation lap. For a wider view of how the British GP unfolded around those frustrations, read our report on Leclerc’s chaotic Silverstone victory.

Spa expected to bring the same challenge

Alonso does not expect the issue to disappear at the Belgian Grand Prix. He sees Spa-Francorchamps as another circuit where long straights and high-speed sections will put energy usage under intense scrutiny.

“Obviously, Silverstone and Spa, they are very trusted on energy,” Alonso said. “You cannot deploy in all on the straights.”

He explained that using deployment early in the lap at Spa would leave a driver exposed later on. “If you deploy in Spa from Turn 1 to 5, it is finito for the rest of the lap,” he added, noting that saving energy for the run from Turn 14 to the bus stop chicane would leave sector two with no deployment.

Alonso also warned that, without deployment, the cars have significantly less power than last year and even less than F2. His conclusion was simple: “So, yes, it is a challenge.”