Bottas reveals driver group chat votes on 2026 rules ahead of Miami GP tweaks
Photo: Race Pictures
Updated: 17:32, 30 Apr
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Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas has revealed that F1 drivers have had votes on their WhatsApp group chat surrounding the 2026 regulations, adding that there is a general agreement that the sport has "stepped in the right direction" with tweaks prior to this weekend's Miami GP.
Among the rule changes made after a series of meetings between F1 stakeholders in April are a reduced recharge in qualifying, increased super-clipping power while aiming to reduce duration, a boost cap of +150 kW, as well as aids to slow race starts.
For Bottas, the adjustments "make sense," especially those that concern closing speeds at corners following Ollie Bearman's 50G crash at Suzuka on approach to Alpine's slowly-moving Franco Colapinto, as well as super-clipping - when the MGU-K turns its attention to harvesting energy at high speeds.
Speaking to media, including GPblog, in Miami, Bottas said: "All the new adjustments to the rules - it makes sense. I think it's in the right direction in terms of trying to have less gaps with the closing speeds, perhaps a little bit less aggressive clipping at the end of the straights, so that makes sense. I think it's still quite a small step, but a step into the right direction."
Bottas was asked if there could have been more substantive changes during the five-week break before Miami, but was wary of "penalising" teams that have performed well so far in 2026.
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"I mean, you could do a bigger change, but at the same time, I think what is tricky is that I understand that you don't want to penalise any teams that have done well."
"You don't want to make changes that would change the order of the teams or anything like this. Mid-season, doing big, big changes it's quite tricky so I think it's a good good first step."
Bottas reveals driver group chat role amid F1 regulation changes
Photo: Cadillac F1
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The Finn was later asked what role the drivers had in changing the 2026 regulations prior to Miami, and revealed that votes had been taken on their famous WhatsApp group.
He said: "Yeah, so we, all drivers, we have this group chat on WhatsApp. So we've been communicating there quite a lot and especially after Japan.
We did some votes and stuff like that, but everything is kind of aligned. I think everyone agrees it's stepped in the right direction. But now we need to see these things in action. But I think all the drivers are aligned.
"It's sometimes only a couple of drivers that speak to the FIA, but normally they speak on behalf of all of us, the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers' Association)."
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F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 72 | |
2 | MercedesMER | 63 | |
3 | FerrariFER | 49 | |
4 | FerrariFER | 41 | |
5 | McLarenMCL | 25 | |
6 | McLarenMCL | 21 | |
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8 | AlpineALP | 15 | |
9 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 12 | |
10 | Racing BullsRCB | 10 |
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