The 2026 Formula 1 season is set to begin with a host of major changes. Notably, the sport has accepted the teams’ proposal to hold three winter testing sessions before the championship officially kicks off. The first of these sessions will take place behind closed doors at the end of January, giving teams a crucial opportunity to get up to speed with the new regulations.
Teams are accelerating their preparations. Cars must now be ready a full month earlier than in previous seasons, creating a challenge within a challenge. While much of this pressure falls on the engineers, who have been working tirelessly for months, drivers are particularly focused on familiarizing themselves with the new power units, active aerodynamics, and the innovative override systems that will debut next season.
Carlos Sainz: “We will adapt to everything and be the best, as always”
Many drivers have already shared their thoughts on the challenges ahead. Among them is current Williams driver and former Ferrari pilot Carlos Sainz Jr., who reflected on the upcoming technical changes. “Managing the new car will be extremely complex. It will require a significant amount of mental energy. However, I think Lewis Hamilton already faced a major regulatory shift between 2013 and 2014. Lewis transitioned from a conventional V8 engine to a complex V6 hybrid system, learning to manage the energy recovery system and the battery, along with numerous other new elements,” Carlos Sainz told F1Technical.net.
“Back then it was a shock, but eventually everyone adapted.” The Williams driver’s reference to Lewis Hamilton is accurate. Since Carlos Sainz Jr. only debuted in Formula 1 in 2015, he did not personally experience the dramatic rule changes of 2014, so he uses Hamilton’s experience as a benchmark for what drivers might face next year.
“Next year will be somewhat similar to what happened in 2014,” Carlos Sainz continued. “Initially, it won’t be easy. The car will feel different every single lap, but as we complete more laps, everything will start to feel more natural. We will establish a new, different normality. Will it be better than the current era? That’s a million-dollar question. As drivers, we will adapt and strive to be as fast as possible. If we need to make six or seven gear changes in a single lap, we will do it, and we will be the best at it, as we always have,” the former Ferrari driver concluded.
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