F1 boss pushes back on Verstappen, Hamilton criticism of 2026 rules

The Italian motorsports chief, who spoke to the media during testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, called for calm, emphasising that the new regulations are still in their infancy.

"We need to avoid overreaction because it's just the beginning of a new journey, so that's why I say we need to stay calm,” Domenicali said.

The 60-year-old continued by stressing that if there is a need to make changes or implement adjustments, the sport’s governing body remains open to it.

The new regulation cars have faced heavy criticism from drivers so far, particularly due to the significant involvement of battery power, which is now evenly split with mechanical energy. Lewis Hamilton compared it to a GP2 car, while Max Verstappen labelled it a Formula E car on steroids.

Verstappen’s view appears to have been echoed by other drivers, with Sergio Perez and the reigning champion airing their reservations about the new F1 cars.

Earlier, Lando Norris reneged on his previous comments to agree with Verstappen on the handling of the new-generation cars.

The McLaren driver, who had stirred a buzz with his remarks urging the Red Bull driver to consider retirement if he didn’t enjoy the new car, went back on his words to align with the Dutch driver.

Norris admitted that driving the current cars isn’t as enjoyable as previous models and confessed that his earlier provocative comments were intentionally made to provoke reactions, which he found highly amusing.