The complaints about F1 2026’s energy-starved racing have rumbled since before the season, with drivers experiencing varying states of charge and machine-learning algorithms causing speed differences. At Spa, Oscar Piastri called it a "pretty crap way of going racing." Despite calls to ban machine-learning tools, citing F1’s rule that "The driver must drive the car alone and unaided," the situation won't change soon.

McLaren’s technical director for engineering Neil Houldey argues the best drivers still shine. "The ones who are switched on, the ones who are the best F1 drivers in the world are the ones who are still going to be the fastest," he told Autosport. He cited Spa where Piastri had a slightly different deployment schedule but still kept up with Lando Norris.

The core limitation is the near-50:50 split of electrical deployment to internal combustion power and the battery’s limited storage, requiring software intervention for safety and performance. The Miami rule tweaks traded peak speeds for more sustained top speed. Drivers must be consistent with throttle inputs; aggression now carries fewer rewards.

Houldey views it as "more of a thinking game" – technically challenging for both engineers and drivers. "In the end, as always, the best combination of car, driver, engineering team ends up doing the best job." Defending champion Lando Norris took his first GP win of the year in Hungary.