Hamilton and Russell unite with Verstappen in crucial FIA demand

The pair, who spoke to the media during the Miami Grand Prix weekend, corroborated the need for increased driver input in the development and modification of the sport’s regulations – aligning with Verstappen's continued criticism amid his discontent with the current F1 rules.

Hamilton, who was quizzed about the collaborative efforts between drivers, teams, and the sport’s governing body, particularly in light of the adjustments being made to the 2026 regulations, urged the need for drivers to have a seat at the decision-making table. The Scuderia Ferrari driver noted how having such an opportunity would improve engagement and help the FIA and F1 make more informed decisions regarding the shaping of future regulations.

“I mean, all the drivers, we do work together, we all meet, but the fact is, we don't have a seat at the table engaging with the FIA in Formula 1. Formula 1 is more often a little bit more reactive. Being that we have no stakeholders, we don't have a seat at the table currently, which I think needs to change. All I said to them when I was doing the early tests was that you guys should come and speak to us and collaborate with us. We don't want to be second-guessing them. We know you can build a good product. But their feedback will be coming from people who have never driven a car before. So we're like, speak to us, we'll work on it. Go hand in hand, we can work together to approach the FIA so we can get a better product,” Hamilton told GPblog.

Hamilton concluded by stressing the shared responsibility to improve the sport: “And the same with F1, we're here to work with you. Same with our sport, we want this sport to succeed. And so we need to be thrown together. But it's like, you know, you keep doing it, and it's like four baby steps each time. But I do not doubt that we'll get there."

Russell, who has been largely measured in his criticism of the current regulations, also acknowledged the need for better communication between drivers and all parties involved in shaping and designing the regulations. The Mercedes driver, however, noted how the drivers are beginning to have good conversations with the FIA and are trying to address concerns.

He added that drivers are increasingly being included in discussions around future regulations, which could help prevent issues before they arise. “Because I think we kind of suggested that we could maybe foresee some of these issues before they actually came to fruition, and if we were involved in the process, we could have helped it for everybody's sake.”

Russell also highlighted that some of the recent changes are aimed at improving safety, particularly by reducing large speed differentials between cars. “So that's been positive. I think the changes are good and the main goal being to remove the large closing speeds like we saw with Franco and Bearman and I think with these new rules that incident wouldn't have happened so that's a positive.”

So far, the FIA and F1 have implemented a flurry of changes to the current regulations ahead of the Miami Grand Prix. However, whether these changes translate into the desired results remains to be seen.

Earlier, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was largely pessimistic about the influence the changes would have on the racing. The Aston Martin driver highlighted how unsure he was about the changes, hinting at a wait-and-see approach before making conclusions.

The 44-year-old, however, slightly tilted towards the claims made by his teammate Lance Stroll, who went all out in his criticism of the regulations.

Want to stay up to date with the latest events from the F1 paddock? GPblog’s Paddock Update is the place to be.

Follow and subscribe to our channels on Spotify and YouTube so you don’t miss a scoop as the actions and reactions continue across the Formula 1 scene.

Check out the latest episode of our Paddock Update here 👇