Carlos Sainz is trying to lower the tension surrounding Formula 1’s current technical debate, but the Williams driver is still not hiding what he believes remains a significant issue for the sport.
Following the regulatory adjustments introduced during the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Carlos Sainz acknowledged that some progress has been made, particularly regarding race conditions and overall drivability during Grands Prix. However, the Spanish driver remains unconvinced by the current state of qualifying sessions.
“I don’t want to limit myself to criticizing anymore,” Carlos Sainz explained, while also making it clear that “there is still quite a lot of work to do” before drivers can truly return to pushing at the absolute limit.
The Williams driver believes the FIA has already done its part in attempting to address the situation.
“I don’t feel like pointing the finger at the Federation, I think they have worked well,” Carlos Sainz said.
According to the former Ferrari driver, the real issue now lies more with the power unit manufacturers and the overall balance of the hybrid systems currently used in Formula 1.
“Now it feels like everyone is moving in the same direction, but some manufacturers still need to be convinced that this level cannot become the standard for Formula 1 qualifying,” he added.
The debate remains particularly relevant ahead of the major 2027 regulation changes, when the distribution of power between the internal combustion engine and the ERS system is expected to shift significantly. The planned modifications should restore greater importance to the combustion engine and reduce the extreme dependence on electric deployment that has become a central talking point within the paddock.
That direction appears to be welcomed not only by Carlos Sainz, but also by several other Formula 1 drivers who have repeatedly voiced concerns about the current generation of power units and the growing importance of energy management.
Over recent months, multiple drivers have expressed frustration about being forced to constantly manage battery deployment during qualifying laps and races instead of simply attacking at full pace. The issue became even more visible under the 2026 technical framework, where the balance between electric and thermal power has fundamentally changed the driving style required inside the cockpit.
For Carlos Sainz, the concern is not necessarily about technology itself, but about preserving the essence of Formula 1 as the highest category of motorsport.
Modern Formula 1 has always combined engineering innovation with elite-level driving skill, but many drivers fear the balance has shifted too far toward energy conservation and software-controlled performance windows.
The FIA’s willingness to revisit the regulations for 2027 therefore represents an important signal for the future of the championship. The intention to increase the contribution of the combustion engine is widely seen as an attempt to restore more aggressive driving characteristics and create cars that allow drivers to consistently push harder throughout qualifying sessions and races.
Miami offered an early glimpse of those ongoing discussions, but the broader conversation surrounding the identity of Formula 1 and the role of hybrid technology is clearly far from over.
As teams, manufacturers and the FIA continue shaping the next generation of Formula 1 regulations, comments like those made by Carlos Sainz highlight a growing consensus within the paddock: performance, spectacle and driver freedom must remain at the center of the sport’s future direction.
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