Former F1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone agrees with Max Verstappen in that F1 is in danger of resembling Formula E.

The Briton has joined the growing list of those fearing the sport has lost its way, in terms of taking the actual racing out of motor racing.

Like Max Verstappen, the former owner of championship winners Brabham, believes the 2026 regulations are taking F1 closer to Formula E, the Dutchman having famously claimed in Bahrain that the cars are now "Formula E on steroids".

"The new rules certainly don't favour Max and his driving style," Ecclestone tells RTL. "It's not so much about the racing any longer.

"The DNA of the sport is that it's a drivers' world championship and not an engineers' championship," he adds. "Formula 1 is now competing more with Formula E.

"Maybe the fans like that," he suggests, "but I don't think so. The danger is that we'll lose the fans. I sincerely hope I'm wrong."

Ecclestone, who was still at the helm at the time of the previous major overhaul, believes 2026 will witness a repeat of what we saw then, Mercedes domination.

"Mercedes has the advantage," he says. "Russell has talent, but he needs to demonstrate his killer instinct throughout the season to become champion.

"Mercedes-powered teams have a good chance this year, but I hope Ferrari will have a say in the matter too. Formula 1 will benefit if Ferrari wins the championship.

"I see Lewis not giving up, not wanting to stop before achieving his goal. Maybe this year will be a success. That would be a great story.

"I believe Audi has all the ingredients for a successful first year in Formula 1," he adds. "The midfield teams are very close in terms of car speed, and Audi has a chance in this battle. I'm confident Gabriel Bortoleto will be a serious threat to Nico Hulkenberg. The young Brazilian is very fast and capable of becoming a champion one day."

However, in the meantime...

"There will be chaos and confusion at the start of the season," predicts the 95-year-old, "everyone will have to learn Formula 1 all over again."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Chester, 27/02/2026 12:33

"The Drive to Survive drama may yield great viewership but, by the time it airs next year, the damage will be done to the actual sport of F1.

The 50/50 power split was alluring to manufacturers when pitched a few years back. But their crass commercial motivation to sell overweight, bloated hybrids will hurt the sport IMO.

I'm looking forward to the IndyCar opener this Sunday."

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2. Posted by ffracer, 27/02/2026 12:06

"Agreed, Bernie Ecclestone loves throwing a barb or a grenade... but, after reading the article a second time, I sense that he is genuine with concern, like all of us. I think that the new F1, the Liberty Media F1, is all about optics, driving traction... and more impressive, record quarterly results. This induced chaos, like the inconsistent Pirelli saga, will drive more traction than ever before. Netflix season 9 , explaining all the chaos in its trademark, minute, chronological detail, will boast record viewership as well, for a win win... for Liberty Media and all its partners that bet on benefitting from this orchestrated chaos. "

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3. Posted by Redphyve, 26/02/2026 22:41

"Bernie loves tossing live grenades into situations, but in this case he may be right."

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4. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 26/02/2026 19:53

"To (mis)quote from an old TV series - "Never mind the quality, feel the width!" Liberty don't give a flying "F" - at the moment.......should the predicted chaos, and, more likely, the very visual presentation of supposed racing cars trundling round, result in a free-fall of spectators, TV/Streaming numbers, and, most pertinently, sponsors disappearing in droves, expect them to put pressure where it need to be, to fix a plaster at the very least. I just hope the engine builders (Audi aside) have made the present engines with the same mounting points as those used last year..........."

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5. Posted by Chester, 25/02/2026 19:29

"Ecclestone has been around the block. But I'll wait and see and masochistically watch Alonso suffer- and may have to also suffer "dweeb" racing (pushing buttons and managing energy).

If I had to manage energy ion a road car, I'd move to the center of Austin, Texas and never drive again. Such rubbish."

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6. Posted by KKK, 25/02/2026 18:36

"I totally agree with Mr E. F1 now is no more than a parade. I wint watch or go to an F1 race in the foreseeable time. I will instead go to a Clubby race, F4, BTCC and even Classic Mini7 races, at least in the minis you will get overtaking and r abreast. F1 is gonna disappear in time. Shameful on how Libefy Media have dragged F1 down to thus"

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7. Posted by flyinglap, 25/02/2026 17:38

"Mr E. is quite right, once more. "Chaos and confusion" may even turn out to be an understatement though. The current regulations are against the very spirit of Formula 1. Driving to the limit of man and machine is no more. It is a sad state of affairs, and even sadder will be listening to all the drivel that the likes of "Crofty" and the gang will be subjecting us throughout the season while trying to explain the unexplainable. By the way, one potential technical solution to this mess might be to enable the deployment of electric power only during the final part of the longest straights (similarly to what used to be the operation of the DRS), so that drivers will be pushing all the way until the braking point before the following corner; instead of using up all their charge while exiting the previous corner and then lifting up halfway down the straight, which is totally wrong conceptually, and certainly it is not "racing". I do hope that somebody gives this some serious consideration, it may not be too late to enact."

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Ecclestone predicts 2026 regulations chaos

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