Sainz’s father joins critics of 2026 regulations

Mar.12 (GMM) Carlos Sainz’s famous father has added his voice to the chorus of criticism over Formula 1’s new regulations, calling the racing “fake” and warning that the sport has lost its identity – as official F1 social media posts began attracting community notes accusing the series of censoring fan opinion.

“I wasn’t there, but I didn’t like it,” the two-time rally world champion told El Confidencial when asked about the Melbourne season opener.

“For the moment, the result of these new regulations has changed the DNA of Formula 1, which I don’t like at all.”

63-year-old Carlos Sainz was particularly dismissive of the overtakes, whose increased number has been hailed by Formula 1 on social media.

“They seemed very artificial and easy to me, both on the corners and the straights, due to the differences in electric power,” he said. “They weren’t overtakes achieved under hard braking or thanks to having a better line through a corner. Overtakes that felt a bit fake to me.”

He also questioned the complexity of the new formula. “This Formula 1 is very difficult to understand. Formula 1 has to be easy, intuitive, something people don’t have to study to understand a race.

“Superclipping, overtake mode, this and that mode … even I struggle with it.”

One community note appearing on an official F1 post on X read: “F1 is, once again, hiding replies, censoring the fans’ opinion about the new regulations.”

Sainz was careful to separate his views from those of his son, Williams driver Carlos Sainz, who doubles as a director of the GPDA. “I’m giving my opinion, which has nothing to do with what my son says,” he insisted.

“It’s my opinion as a fan and as a lifelong follower of Formula 1.”

On his son’s situation at Williams, he was grim. “It’s going to be a very, very tough year. Very long and very tough.

“Practically two and a half seconds per lap behind the leading cars – the extra weight, the chassis, the aerodynamics, there are several areas where they need to improve.”

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