F1 in Japan: Oh no, what have they done to all the fast corners?

Depending on the condition of the batteries and where the car is on the track, it may have 750 kW (1,005 hp), it may have 400 kW, or it may have only 150 kW (201 hp) at the rear wheels. Each driver will use their energy differently, and the complex nature of hybrid systems, which are mostly automated, means they can behave erratically. Get too much wheelspin or oversteer, and the algorithms controlling power delivery will adjust on the next lap.

And that in turn means the cars are acting unpredictably, which we saw with dramatic results when Oliver Bearman’s Haas had to take action to avoid Franco Colapinto’s slow-moving Alpine as the drivers approached the entry into the Spoon Curve. Bearman jumped left over the grass to miss the Alpine and spun, hitting the wall at an impact of 50 g.

Critics of the new technical rules have long predicted that dangerous speed differences of up to 70 km/h (43 mph) were possible, and it seems they were right. Hence, April 9 meeting to discuss the solution. However, this probably won’t be easy. The simplest solution would be to allow a larger battery, but F1 cars are very tightly packed, and this would require each team to undergo an expensive redesign, making the cars larger and heavier.

Increasing the fuel flow of a V6 engine to generate more internal combustion horsepower would also help, but would likely also require a larger fuel tank, again resulting in a redesign and larger, heavier cars. Or the sport may limit the amount of power of the electric motor; Limited to just 200 kilowatts (268 hp), the battery can last for about 20 seconds.

no more sharp corners

Unlike many F1 fans (and some drivers), I have tried hard to remain positive about the 2026 technical regulations. It became very difficult to maintain that posture after watching the cars qualify. Suzuka’s most famous corner is called 130R, a sharp left turn towards the end of the lap that comes after a long flat-out run from Spoon. It used to be a challenge, but last year, the 130R was barely a corner; The cars had so much downforce that they went off the tracks.