A number of Formula 1 drivers have differed in their views on the outgoing ground-effect cars, which will be replaced by brand new machines for 2026.
The ground-effect era ended with the conclusion of this year’s season in Abu Dhabi, bringing an end to a four-year tenure of the cars and another phase of the V6 hybrid period.
It’s fair to say the cars have divided opinion across the F1 spectrum, whether it be fans, teams and drivers, with one of its initial shortcomings being the severe porpoising.
The increasing size and weight of the cars have also triggered some debate, particularly as it has rendered some circuits difficult to overtake on.
Fernando Alonso is one driver who, given his career’s longevity, has raced a number of different cars, and said ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix that he would “not miss” them, but did concede that the initial slowness of the 2026 cars [projected to be around four seconds a lap slower] will also be an adjustment.
“Next year probably we will go slower and we will miss them when we drive the next cars, because we always want to be as fast as possible,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“But I think the [current] cars are definitely too heavy, they are too big and the ground effect and the ride heights we are racing are not really fun to drive.
“And probably even to follow cars, the expectations of this regulation that it was to follow closely and to have a better action on track was not really a success.
“Maybe the first year a little bit, but not after that. So, yeah, I don’t think that we will miss too much of this.”
Max Verstappen, despite cementing his status as one of the sport’s greats within the ground-effect era, was similarly keen to take on a new challenge.
“I won’t miss these cars,” he said. “It was good for a while in the beginning [the dirty air aspect], but not anymore. I do think you can follow a bit better, a bit more controlled anyway.
“With those old cars, you really had extreme oversteer or understeer in certain places, and you don’t have that now.
“Now there’s just less downforce and you have the problem that the slipstream with these cars isn’t as efficient anymore. On some tracks, it’s simply not enough for overtaking.”
Verstappen added: “I didn’t find them the most fun to drive, to be honest,” the Red Bull driver added. “It hasn’t been comfortable at all, all these years – my whole back is falling apart and my feet always hurt.
“Physically, it hasn’t been the best. When you do scans, they don’t look good. On the other hand, if you look at motocross, we have nothing to complain about.
“But if you know what it was or what it could be, I’d rather go for what we had in 2015-2016.”
Sainz looking for a more ‘natural driving style’ in F1 2026
2026 has also divided some opinion in terms of the continuation of V6 hybrids, which will now become more electrified with a 50-50 split with ICE.
But one more universal positive among the chattering crowd has been the reduction in size and weight, which was acknowledged by Mercedes’ George Russell.
“It’s going in the right direction, making the cars smaller, lighter,” he said, but also agreed with Alonso in terms of how the current cars’ speed will likely be missed.
“You always remember the good stuff from something in the past. You never really remember the bad stuff. So I’m sure we’re going to miss that high-speed performance and we’ll probably forget about the negatives. But that’s just how life goes.”
Carlos Sainz has been one driver who has adapted well to the ground-effect cars, taking his first win in its first year, and also completed an impressive year with Williams.
But the Spaniard spoke of his initial struggles to get to grips with them, and hopes that 2026 will see him rediscover a “natrual” way of driving.
“I had a struggle with them in 2022 adapting to this generation, and I’ve had a bit more success later on adapting to it, but it’s not in my nature to drive these cars the way I have to drive them,” he revealed.
“I actually had to relearn a couple of different skills that I didn’t know I would need to drive a Formula 1 car. And I’m glad it’s over, and hopefully next year I can go back to a more natural driving style.”
Nico Hulkenberg, who will be part of Sauber’s transition to Audi in 2026, gave the most positive assessment of the cars.
“I think a bit more neutral for me,” he said. “I don’t mind it. I think just the following, particularly this year, has really become very, very bad.
“But otherwise – I mean, bit heavy, yes – but in quali, they’re pretty quick. So, I don’t mind it.”
READ MORE – Lewis Hamilton delivers blunt verdict on ground effect F1 cars
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