F1 leaders push for return to 'flat-out' qualifying amid 2026 energy management concerns

Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies says the entire Formula 1 community agrees that qualifying must return to being a flat-out, no-compromise session, calling it the sport's top priority. The new 2026 power unit regulations, with their heavy emphasis on electrical energy, have forced drivers to lift, coast, and manage energy during their hot laps, diluting the pure speed challenge that defined Saturday afternoons.

Why it matters:

Qualifying is meant to be the ultimate test of a car and driver's single-lap performance, a pure spectacle of speed. The current energy-saving requirements have introduced strategic "gaming" into what should be a straightforward contest, frustrating teams, drivers, and fans alike. Restoring flat-out running is seen as essential to preserving the integrity and excitement of the sport's competitive format.

The details:

• Mekies stated there is unanimous agreement among teams, the FIA, and F1 management on the need to fix qualifying, making it the primary focus of current technical discussions.
• The core issue stems from the 2026 power units, which will derive nearly 50% of their power from electrical energy. Managing this finite resource per lap requires drivers to downshift early, lift off the throttle before corners, and avoid taking some high-speed sections flat-out to save energy for deployment elsewhere.
• While this has added a complex strategic layer to races, its intrusion into qualifying has been poorly received, as it reduces the driver's ability to push the car to its absolute limit for one perfect lap.
• Mekies argues that solving the qualifying problem would have a positive knock-on effect, potentially reducing the level of strategic "gaming" required in the race itself.

What's next:

Significant regulatory changes are unlikely during the 2026 season unless for safety reasons, pushing the timeline for a proper fix to 2027.

• Mekies emphasized that the focus should be on "sorting it properly for '27," as there is still sufficient time to implement effective changes for that season.
• He acknowledged that some minor adjustments could be made for the 2026 season as interim solutions while a more comprehensive fix is developed.
• Despite the energy management challenges, the immense power of the new cars means lap times remain competitive. At Suzuka, the 2026 pole time was still faster than most years prior to 2017, demonstrating the raw performance potential if the energy deployment constraints can be alleviated.