F1 CEO addresses 'panic' over 2026 regulation change

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has dismissed “panic” surrounding the new campaign, which kicks off in under two weeks' time.

The cars have undergone a major change this year with fresh changes made to the power units and aerodynamic rules.

Several F1 drivers have voiced their concern over the new challengers and how differently they must be driven from their predecessors, with a major emphasis on energy management.

They have also suggested that overtaking will be a more challenging task this year due to the energy deployment - but Domenicali does not recognise any upcoming hurdles.

“I don't understand what all this panicking is all about,” Domenicali told media including RacingNews365. “There will be incredible racing, there will be a lot of action.

"And that's why as I said prudence is always part of my style.

"In any case, if something is not as we would want, I think that the credibility of the sport is we can sit down with responsible people, the technical people and the FIA, to find solutions.

“I’m not worried at all.”

The regulation overhaul has been described by some as the biggest year-on-year shift in the sport's history due to the engines and aerodynamics changing simultaneously.

While Domenicali has a positive outlook for the future of F1, he acknowledged that any complications will be fixed as a collective group.

“Of course, the most sophisticated fans will understand the different sounds in a certain situation,” he said.

“But I guarantee that the 99.9 per cent of the fans will not feel that because it's impossible.

“Therefore, I want to be positive in that respect. And as I said if something has to be rectified, there will be the time and the measure that we can do together as a system to react."