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Lewis Hamilton's first proper media briefing of the 2026 Formula 1 season delivered headlines that seemed to suggest wholesale rejection of the new rules era. The seven-time world champion's remarks about cars feeling "slower than GP2," "ridiculously complex" systems, and "600 metres lift and coast on a qualifying lap" painted a bleak picture of motorsport's future. For headline writers, it was gift-wrapped content—but the full story demands considerably more nuance.
To understand Hamilton's critical tone, one must look beyond the soundbites to the circumstances surrounding his comments. The Ferrari driver's demeanor during Wednesday's session at Sakhir differed markedly from his more optimistic assessment following Barcelona's private shakedown. The difference? Challenging track conditions that affected everyone's performance.
"It didn't feel too bad in Barcelona. Here it's been very gusty, it's a lot hotter so much harder to find the right balance," Hamilton explained, acknowledging that "everyone's struggling with it". The strong gusts of wind and dusty surface created a difficult first session for all competitors, coloring his initial impressions.
While Hamilton's relative pace appeared concerning—he ended fourth fastest, one second behind Max Verstappen—the session times were actually nine seconds faster than the 2025 Sakhir Formula 2 pole, undermining his hyperbolic GP2 comparison.
Despite the critical soundbites, Hamilton maintained that the 2026 package represents progress. The shorter, lighter car with reduced downforce characteristics appeals to his driving style in ways the previous ground-effect era never did. "It's quite fun, like rallying a lot," he noted, describing how the machine's behavior differs fundamentally from recent generations. Remarkably, Hamilton reiterated throughout his briefing that overall, it remains "a more fun car to drive".
This perspective carries significant weight given his well-documented struggles with the 2022–2025 regulations. Having never properly gelled with ground-effect cars, the 41-year-old's positive outlook toward the new formula suggests genuine enthusiasm beneath the criticism.
Hamilton's most substantive criticism centers not on speed or handling characteristics, but on complexity and accessibility. The energy management demands—exemplified by 600-meter stretches of lift-and-coast during qualifying laps—represent a fundamental departure from traditional racing. More troublingly for the sport's narrative, he expressed genuine concern about fan comprehension.
"None of the fans are going to understand it," Hamilton stated bluntly, describing the engine management systems as so intricate that "you need a degree to fully understand it all". This concern strikes at Formula 1's core mission: engaging audiences. Without fan comprehension, the sport risks losing narrative appeal regardless of on-track entertainment.
Hamilton's criticism, therefore, reflects not pessimism about 2026's potential but rather legitimate concerns about its presentation and complexity. Early-season struggles in challenging conditions and the natural friction of adapting to revolutionary machinery should not overshadow the encouraging signals from controlled testing environments. As development progresses and conditions improve, the full picture will become clearer.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.