When Formula 1 confirmed the scope of its 2026 regulation shift, the emphasis was on long-term relevance: greater electrification, fully sustainable fuel and renewed manufacturer appeal.
Yet as pre-season testing has progressed in Bahrain, there have been whispers of discontent from some drivers, while the complexity of the 50/50 hybrid engines have also raised eyebrows.
Some within the sport have cautioned that an overly technical product risks alienating casual viewers, particularly at a time when F1’s global audience has broadened significantly beyond its traditional core.
For F1 President and Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali, however, those concerns do not translate into commercial anxiety.
Confidence in the product
During a pre-season media call with outlets including Sector, Domenicali was clear that much of the worry surrounding the 2026 technical direction was overstated.
While acknowledging that regulation changes always generate uncertainty, he rejected the idea that the new formula risked diluting the spectacle.
“I don’t feel this anxiety, we need to stay calm because as always when there is something happening as a new regulation there’s always the doubt that everything is wrong,” he said.
“I want to reassure the fans that it’s an incredible spectacle – I didn’t see any difference whether it was speed, sound – and therefore I’m totally positive to say that there will be another incredible year.”
For Domenicali, the assumption that fans would immediately be deterred by technical nuances is a disservice to the breadth of audience watching F1.
His argument is not that the 2026 cars will be identical in character to the previous era, but that the core attributes that draw audiences remain intact.
“99.9% of the fans will not feel that because it’s impossible,” he said.
“Why we should always think about plan B? Why we should always think about something wrong? I don’t see all this negativity around.”
For Domenicali, the sport’s broader appeal – narrative, personalities, glamour – is not defined by the precise ratio between electric and combustion output or the intricacies of start procedures.
No commercial risk
That confidence in the product underpins a broader belief that the 2026 regulation shift poses no threat to F1’s commercial foundations.
Domenicali was explicit that any risk to the sport’s economic model does not stem from the cars, the drivers or the partners currently invested in the championship.
Asked by Sector what risks F1 could face in the coming years, he replied: “Today, the only commercial risk that I see is not related to the track, or the drivers, or the partners.
“If we keep doing what we’re doing so close together, I don’t see any risk. The relationship with all the stakeholders is so strong that the solidity of the system is robust enough today that there’s no risk.
“The momentum is really, really strong. I receive a lot of requests of understanding how Formula 1 was able to develop so strongly as a business platform, sporting platform, entertainment platform, from all the biggest sports business around the world.”
The relationship with all the stakeholders is so strong – but we need to continue to work together in the same direction.
Stefano Domenicali
Domenicali’s confidence certainly comes from a position of strength, given the uptick in sponsorship, hospitality and fan engagement seen in recent years.
The risk, Domenicali believes, would come not from anything like the current regulation change, but from complacency from F1 itself.
“We cannot sit. We don’t want to lose this momentum,” he said.
“The relationship with all the stakeholders is so strong – but we need to continue to work together in the same direction.”
Proof in the momentum
Domenicali’s confidence stems from F1’s measurable commercial expansion over recent years, something he sees as evidence that the sport’s ecosystem is structurally reinforced.
“If you look where we were four years ago, we had only four global partners,” he said.
“If you look at today, we have eleven, plus ten official, plus four regional, plus six technical.”
Standard Chartered is the latest name to sign a multi-year agreement with F1, with Domenicali pointing to the calibre of brands entering the sport as validation of its current standing.
“Big brands will never invest in something that they don’t believe is the right thing for them to develop their business,” he added.
“Formula 1 has developed strongly as a business platform, sporting platform, entertainment platform. The solidity of the system is robust enough today.”
Elsewhere, in a wide-ranging session, Domencali spoke on:
A return for the Turkish Grand Prix: “Stay tuned. Turkey is on the list. As you know, we have a long list of places that would like to join Formula 1, and Turkey is definitely one of them.”
Increasing the number of Sprint races: “We are evaluating the possibility to increase the number of Sprint races. Twelve is a number that we are considering. There are ideas in mind to make the weekend even more attractive for the promoters and for the fans.”
Max Verstappen comparing new F1 regulations to ‘Formula E on steroids’: “Hybridization has been part of Formula 1 since 2014. “I met yesterday with Max because, as you know, Max is incredible and he has a way of saying something that could be sometimes interpreted in a certain way.
“I guarantee to you that Max cares about Formula 1 more than anyone else. He has a way of putting the point that he wants to say in a certain way. But we had a very constructive meeting.”
