The most outspoken critic of F1 2026 so far is Max Verstappen, who claimed during Bahrain testing that the new rules are "anti-racing" and "Formula E on steroids", while Lewis Hamilton has shared mixed feelings on a set of "ridiculously complex" regulations.

Williams' Sainz, however, has urged fellow drivers to show restraint when speaking publicly on the 2026 rules, arguing that it could create a "vicious cycle" in the sport.

Critiquing how some of his F1 rivals have spoken about the new regulations, Sainz opted for a Spanish expression, saying he was of the opinion that they were "throwing stones at their own roof."

"It isn’t very smart, because we all make a living from F1," Sainz said at a promotional event (translated from Spanish).

Hamilton has said he's having "more fun" in the 2026 cars, which are nimbler and less grippy than the previous 'ground effect' generation, but he also criticised the newfound focus on energy management as "ridiculously complex," even claiming that "you need a degree to fully understand it all."

Sainz, on the other hand, clearly does not feel the same way, and explained why in a rather amusing response to Hamilton's comments.

"It doesn’t seem that complicated to me. I don’t have a university degree, but I have the Selectividad (university entrance exams).

Elsewhere, the Spaniard has also offered his thoughts on where Williams stand going into 2026, with the Grove team missing the Barcelona shakedown week entirely, but achieving significant mileage during the two Bahrain winter tests.

Sainz' outlook is not too positive, however, with the Williams driver saying the gap between the top four teams and the rest of the grid is now even wider, and that a step forward for Williams "isn't likely to happen anytime soon."