Vettel criticises F1 on 2026 rules and sees it can go very wrong very quickly

Sebastian Vettel has welcomed Formula 1’s push towards more electrification from 2026 but admits he has serious doubts about how the new regulations have been shaped.

The four-time World Champion, who retired at the end of 2022, praised the higher electrical component and the introduction of climate-neutral fuels, but believes the rules have not gone far enough.

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Vettel highlighted a key issue: “Regaining energy is great, but doing it only on the rear axle and ignoring the front axle doesn’t make sense to me.”

The German argued F1 had an opportunity to be more courageous, but instead chose to scale back certain innovations from the current era to cut costs and lure new manufacturers.

Vettel warns F1 not to ‘turn the wheel too far’ with 2026 changes

While Vettel supports the switch to sustainable fuels, he cautioned against F1’s tendency to over-engineer solutions that may have little real-world relevance.

“If you unleash the typical Formula 1 development race, it can quickly develop in the wrong direction,” he warned, stressing that the focus should remain on fuels useful for cars, shipping and aviation outside motorsport.

The 36-year-old also took aim at car weight, with 2026 regulations only trimming around 30 kilograms to a minimum of 768kg.

“That’s just a drop in the ocean,” Vettel said. “The cars are far too heavy. They should actually be 200 kilograms lighter. That would save fuel and improve racing as a positive side effect.”