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Stefano Domenicali has rejected widespread criticism of Formula 1's new power unit regulations, insisting the vast majority of fans are not interested in technical complaints about battery management and superclipping. The F1 CEO told De Telegraaf he believes the season has delivered compelling racing, despite vocal frustration from drivers including Max Verstappen over the limitations imposed by the new hybrid systems.
The 2026 technical regulations introduced significant changes to both power unit architecture and aerodynamics. Drivers have complained throughout the opening half of the season that they can no longer push flat out, forced instead to manage battery deployment or risk losing significant power through what has become known as superclipping. When the battery depletes, the car enters a mode of severe power loss that compromises lap time and racing ability. Verstappen has been among the most vocal critics, echoing fan sentiment on social media that the regulations have compromised the spectacle.
Domenicali, however, sees a different picture. "I think we are seeing a fascinating season with a lot of action and people love it," he said. "At the beginning of the year everyone said Mercedes would dominate the whole season and that it was already game over for the rest, but you see how quickly the gaps are being closed. That really fits with the technological evolution of Formula 1."
Focus on overtaking, not technical detail
The Italian insisted that the technical frustrations voiced by drivers and a vocal segment of the fanbase do not reflect the broader audience. "In all honesty, the vast majority of our fans are not interested in the technical details," Domenicali said. "They are not talking about superclipping at all, they are looking at how many overtakes there are. Especially the new fans are focused on the action."
He pointed to the recent Hungarian Grand Prix as evidence of the racing quality under the new rules. "Look at the way Max overtook Lewis Hamilton last weekend in Hungary. That was really a piece of art," Domenicali said. "Of course there are fans who are interested in more data, but that is a niche."
A calculated gamble on casual engagement
Domenicali's comments reveal a strategic calculation at the heart of Liberty Media's stewardship of Formula 1. The sport has expanded its global audience significantly in recent years, driven in part by the Netflix series Drive to Survive and a push toward North American markets. That growth has brought a more casual fanbase, less steeped in the technical intricacies that have long defined F1 culture.
By dismissing concerns about superclipping and battery management as niche interests, Domenicali is effectively siding with that newer demographic over the hardcore technical audience. Whether that calculation proves correct may depend on how the second half of the season unfolds, and whether the championship battle Domenicali celebrates can sustain itself without the unfettered performance drivers have called for.
Driver frustration unlikely to fade
What remains unresolved is the disconnect between what drivers experience in the cockpit and what Domenicali insists fans want to see. Verstappen and others have made clear that managing battery state rather than racing on the limit fundamentally alters the nature of competition. Domenicali's argument hinges on the assumption that overtaking numbers alone define quality racing, a premise many within the paddock would dispute.
The technical regulations are locked in for the foreseeable future, meaning any meaningful change would require consensus among the FIA, teams, and commercial rights holder. Domenicali's public stance suggests little appetite for revisiting the rules, at least not while he believes the spectacle remains intact. Whether drivers and the more engaged fanbase accept that framing will shape the narrative through the remainder of the season.
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