Where problems started with 2026 rules & calendar congestion - F1 Q&A

Breaking news from the world of sport: Where problems started with 2026 rules & calendar congestion - F1 Q&AImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Audi were enticed to enter a works F1 team by the engine rules introduced this year, believing the increased effect of the electrical part of the engine was an important marketing point for their road-car portfolioPublished21 minutes agoRule changes have continued to be a big focus in Formula 1, with the previous race in Miami the first since a series of tweaks designed to address concerns about the 2026 engine regulations. Since then, F1 bosses have agreed to further changes to engine design for the 2027 season. With plenty to talk about, F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions.

How did the people who run F1 make such a mistake when implementing the new regulations? Having watched F1 for decades, this is the worst regulation change I can remember. - MichaelBefore answering this question directly, it's important to point out that not everyone views the new rules in such a negative way.

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There is an acceptance in F1 that qualifying has been significantly negatively affected, in terms of the driving experience of being on the limit. Efforts have already been made to address that up to a point this year, and larger steps are in the making for next year. At the same time, most senior figures in F1 - including some of the drivers - agree that there has been a positive effect on the racing, even if some of the increased number of overtakes that have been seen can be argued to be artificial and down to offsets between states of charge.

TV figures over the first three races were up by more than 20% - all three of Australia, China and Japan had significant increases. Miami's are not available yet. Now, as for the genesis of the new regulations, the target when talks started five or so years ago was to attract more manufacturers.

At the time, the direction of road-car technology was firmly electric, so it was decided in concert with the manufacturers to increase the amount of electrification. A nominal 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric was agreed. Fully sustainable, carbon-neutral fuels were added for further environmental credibility.

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The MGU-H, a part of the hybrid system that recovered energy from the turbo, was removed. The reasoning being it was complex and expensive - and therefore hard for new manufacturers to compete with existing ones - and not road relevant. Following the announcement of those rules, first Audi committed to F1.

Soon afterwards, Ford and General Motors did the same, and Honda reversed its decision to quit. Had the rules not changed, F1 now would have a maximum of three manufacturers or possibly only two, Mercedes and Ferrari, if Renault had gone ahead with its withdrawal. The problems started when the teams started to look at what a near 50-50 energy split with an engine devoid of an MGU-H meant in terms of operating the cars.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.