Car Manufacturers, FIA, Liberty Media: ALL to blame for F1's current state | Drivers FORCED changes

Has F1 2026 Delivered on Its Promise?

Soumil and Kunal examine why Formula One’s 2026 season feels underwhelming despite major storylines, including Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, a potential youngest-ever champion, and struggling world champions. They debate whether the problem lies with the technical regulations, battery management, governance structure, or the sport’s changing identity.

In this episode:

- Why a season packed with headline stories can still feel dry to established F1 fans.

- How the 50-50 electric and combustion power-unit split has created battery conservation and “super clipping” problems.

- Why drivers can no longer consistently drive flat out, and why that may matter more than the exact electric-to-combustion ratio.

- The blame game between drivers, the FIA, manufacturers, team bosses, and Formula One’s commercial rights holders.

- How teams gained influence over the regulations through the Concorde Agreement after previous attempts at unilateral rule changes.

- Why the FIA can influence the grid’s size but does not have equivalent political power to rewrite the technical formula.

- Whether independent teams could run a breakaway championship, and why the Formula One brand remains difficult to replicate outside the FIA umbrella.

- The tension between traditional fans focused on racing and engineering and newer fans drawn to fashion, travel, lifestyle, and storytelling.

- Proposed incremental fixes, including a 60-40 power split from 2028 and possible budget-cap changes to support new chassis and larger fuel capacity.