Hamilton backs the 2026 rules change
Lewis Hamilton has come out in defence of Formula 1’s 2026 cars, saying the next generation of machinery is the most enjoyable he has driven in his two decades in the sport.
The sport is preparing for a major rule reset, with significant changes coming to both aerodynamics and power units. That has already altered how drivers chase lap time, with far more emphasis on energy recovery and deployment than in previous eras.
Why the racing looks different
One of the side effects in race conditions has been the so-called “yo-yo racing” effect, where a driver can struggle to keep position after overtaking because of battery depletion.
Hamilton is not especially bothered by the criticism. He argued that the pattern is hardly new and pointed out that karting has looked similar for years without attracting the same complaints.
“If you go back to karting, it’s the same thing,” Hamilton told media including RacingNews365.
“People going back and forth, back and forth, you can never break away.
“No one ever has ever referred to go-karting as yo-yo racing.”
‘The best form of racing’
Now in his 20th Formula 1 campaign, the seven-time world champion has seen more than enough technical rule changes to know the sport rarely stands still for long.
For Hamilton, the biggest strength of the current cars is how well they can follow through high-speed corners. That, he said, is a clear improvement on recent generations.
“It’s the best form of racing, and F1 has not been the best form of racing in a long, long time,” he said.
“Out of all the cars that I’ve driven in 20 years, this is the only car that you can actually follow through high speed and not completely lose everything that you have, and you can stay behind.”
In other words, the new rules may be controversial, but Hamilton is not shopping for nostalgia just yet.
