After several weeks of relative silence from the drivers regarding Formula 1’s 2026 technical regulations, Fernando Alonso has reignited the debate with a fresh and uncompromising criticism of the current generation of cars.
The Aston Martin driver, who has spent much of the season battling an AMR26 that has struggled both in terms of performance and reliability, touched on one of the most sensitive topics among Formula 1 fans: whether modern racing still rewards driver skill when it comes to overtaking.
Ironically, Silverstone had been expected to produce one of the least exciting races under the new regulations. Instead, the British Grand Prix delivered plenty of action, including several genuine overtaking moves under braking rather than passes created purely through energy management strategies.
Alonso, however, believes the race painted a very different picture.
Fernando Alonso criticizes modern Formula 1
“What impression did the Silverstone race leave on me? I don’t know. I mean, it depends on what the fans and this sport actually want. In my opinion, they didn’t watch a real race at Silverstone.”
The two-time Formula 1 world champion pointed to the Sprint race as an example of what he sees as the main problem with the current regulations.
“I watched some of the Sprint highlights again. You could see drivers overtaking halfway down the straights simply because they had more battery energy available.”
“Today, talent isn’t needed to overtake”
Alonso then went even further, arguing that modern Formula 1 places far less emphasis on driver ability than in the past. In his view, racecraft, bravery and tactical intelligence have become secondary compared to the performance of the power unit and energy deployment systems.
“You don’t need any contribution from the driver or any special talent to overtake the car in front. You don’t need to brake later than your rival, you don’t need to pass around the outside, and you don’t need to take any risks.”
“You just press a button and drive past, provided you have a better power unit than the car ahead,” the two-time world champion concluded.
Although Alonso’s comments are likely to fuel further debate about the direction of Formula 1, they also reflect the frustration of a driver who has endured a difficult campaign with Aston Martin, rather than serving as definitive proof that the sport itself has fundamentally lost the value of driver talent.
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