Lewis Hamilton believes the 2026 Formula 1 cars will pose a “very tough” challenge for drivers, especially in the wet, and that he is “not sure you’re going to like it”.
With only a handful of weeks left before the 2026 cars run in anger, intrigue has peaked about how the latest era of F1 is going to fare.
The latest technical ruleset is slated to completely change the way the sport has raced.
With a 50-50 split between combustion and electrical output, 30kg lighter cars and the introduction of active-aero, and an IndyCar-themed push-to-pass overtake button, the upcoming regulations overhaul is touted to be the biggest F1 has ever seen in its storied 75-year-long history.
That said, drivers like Lance Stroll and Charles Leclerc, who have sampled what the 2026 cars will be like in the simulator, have given a less-than-flattering outlook. One of the biggest concerns in the paddock is with respect to the power unit specification.
With almost 475hp now dependent on a relatively quickly depleting MGU-K, drivers may have to brake earlier, even downshifting at full throttle on straights to maintain a competitive amount of power in their battery pack.
“I think it’s really, really hard to predict what it’s going to be like. I don’t want to say too many negative things. It feels so much different, and I’m not sure you’re going to like it,” Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week when asked about his initial thoughts on the 2026 cars in the simulator.
Hamilton also highlighted how the aerodynamic profile of the new cars will make life “very, very, very tough’ for drivers in the wet. The 2026 floors will now produce almost 46 per cent of the total downforce.
However, with the new rules casting the venturi ‘ground effect’ tunnels out, and eliminating rear-end tapering, the flatter floor will reduce dirty-air but also crucial grip in treacherous conditions as per the Briton.
“We have less downforce, more torque. Driving in the rain, I can imagine it’s going to be very, very, very tough,” he examined. “Much harder than it is already with what we have today.”
Hamilton backs 2026 F1 rule change despite apprehensions
While there have not been many proponents of the 2026 cars, Hamilton has erred on the side of caution before completely writing the rule change off.
“But maybe I’ll be surprised, and maybe it’ll be amazing. Maybe overtaking will be incredible. Maybe it’ll be easier to overtake,” surmised the 40-year-old.
The former Mercedes driver reiterated that his initial trepidations about the new cars were only based on the models the team fed into the simulator. Reality could be vastly different.
“But as I said, we might arrive, and we might have better grip than we anticipated,” he concluded.
“It is a massive challenge for us all and I think that’s really what the sport is about. It’s about continuously challenging ourselves. If we just did the same thing all the time, it would be easy.”
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