1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve described the 2026 F1 regulations as entertaining but said old-school racers like himself would have disliked them. Speaking after the Chinese Grand Prix, he noted the changes bring a different skill set while still rewarding top drivers. The regulations feature a near-equal split of power sources and active aerodynamics.
Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 world champion, offered a nuanced view on the sport's 2026 regulations following the Chinese Grand Prix. In an interview with Sky Sports Germany, he acknowledged the entertainment value: “It's different racing, but it's fun. So what do you want? You want a good show? We're having a good show.” However, he clarified that drivers from his era, including himself and Ralf Schumacher, would not have enjoyed them. “Hold on. Hold on. If you asked a pure racer, like when we were racing, I think we both would have hated it,” Villeneuve said. He explained that past racing was “rough and tough,” contrasting it with the new “different skill set.” Despite this, he observed that “you still see the better ones at the front.” Villeneuve attributed the current excitement to novelty: “It's been fun because it's new, so we don't know what to expect. But if we have 10 races of exactly the same thing, at some point it will become redundant.” He highlighted the impact of energy deployment and urged watching how it evolves. The 2026 rules introduce an almost 50:50 split between internal combustion and electric power, active aerodynamics, and smaller, lighter cars, drawing mixed reactions after the season's first two rounds. At the Chinese Grand Prix, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli claimed his first F1 victory, while Lewis Hamilton earned his first podium with Ferrari. In the constructors' standings, Mercedes leads with 98 points, ahead of Ferrari's 67 and McLaren's 18. McLaren endured setbacks, including Oscar Piastri's crash on the reconnaissance lap in Australia and both Piastri and Lando Norris failing to start in China. The next race is the Japanese Grand Prix in nearly two weeks.
