Piastri: F1's 2026 closing speeds still 'pretty crazy' despite Miami tweaks

Oscar Piastri has warned that Formula 1's 2026 cars still present "pretty crazy" and dangerous closing speeds during races, despite recent FIA rule tweaks introduced at the Miami Grand Prix. The McLaren driver, who finished third, said his first real experience of battling in the new machinery revealed that "not much has really changed" from a safety perspective, highlighting a significant ongoing challenge for the sport's new regulatory era.

Why it matters:

The core safety issue of massive speed differentials between cars—a major concern since the 2026 power unit rules were unveiled—appears unresolved in race conditions. If drivers cannot safely predict closing speeds when attacking or defending, it increases the risk of high-speed collisions. This undermines the goal of improving racing and puts driver safety at the forefront of the technical discussion.

The details:

• The FIA's pre-Miami tweaks capped Boost Mode energy delivery at +150kW and limited MGU-K deployment to 250kW in certain track sections to mitigate the problem.
• Piastri acknowledged the changes helped reduce energy harvesting in Qualifying but stated they made no meaningful difference during the Grand Prix itself.
• He described a specific incident with George Russell where a one-second gap was erased by the end of a straight, calling the closing speeds "huge" and the situation "a bit random" for a defending driver to anticipate.
• Piastri admitted that even he was forced into making a similar "super dangerous" move he had criticized Russell for, simply due to the enormous closing speeds.

The big picture:

Piastri's teammate Lando Norris echoed the sentiment, calling the Miami changes "a small step in the right direction" but asserting F1 is "not at the level it should be." Norris pointed out that drivers are still "penalised" in Qualifying for pushing flat-out, a fundamental issue with the current energy management system. His stark conclusion—"You just have to get rid of the battery"—signals that some drivers believe more radical solutions are needed beyond mere power deployment caps. The feedback from Miami suggests the FIA's work is far from complete, with the fundamental compromise between hybrid power, safety, and raceability still being hotly debated on the grid.