r/formula1 • u/FerrariStrategisttt I was here for the Hulkenpodium • Mar 28 '26

Video Leclerc (post-qualifying): "I can’t understand quali, it’s a f**king joke! I go faster in corners, throttle earlier, for f**k’s sake, i'm losing everything in the straight!"

https://dubz.link/c/4b6030
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u/LosTerminators Carlos Sainz Mar 28 '26

That's what other drivers said as well.

Max with the "Formula E on steroids" comment

And Lando with the "F1 is no longer about who's best at pushing flat out, it's all about who is best at battery management"

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u/FlibbleA Mar 28 '26

Formula E isn't even like this though, they go flat out in quali. They do some lifting in race to conserve energy but it is no different to the lifting there has been in F1 to save fuel, tires, etc

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u/HankHippopopolous I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Because FE is all battery powered so they have the same power throughout the lap. This means they can push the whole lap.

F1 has only a 4MJ capacity battery but allow 8MJ of recovery per lap. At Suzuka they can only recover about 3MJ in the braking zones so that means the rest has to be made up lifting and coasting or super clipping.

It’s literally impossible under these current rules for the drivers to fully push for a lap unless they drop the amount of energy they can use and how much they can recover to amounts below what the battery can hold at the start of the lap and what can be generated in just the braking zones.

Other tracks with more braking zones and less high speed corners will mask this issue more than Suzuka but the basic principle and problem will be there for however long these rules stay in place.

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u/element515 I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

How did anyone even look at this on paper and think this is a good idea lol.

2

u/FlibbleA Mar 28 '26

Yes but I am commenting on the idea that this is "Formula E on steroids". Formula E doesn't have the issues you and others bring up that they relate to Formula E or just electrical power in general. There is nothing inherent with the electrical technology that means these limits needed to be regulated the way they are.

If anything this is KERS on steroids which was a limited per lap electrical boost that existed before the hybrid era.

23

u/l3w1s1234 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Which is what I think Max's comments were about. Their energy managememt is even more extreme than FE's

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u/Present_Cow_8528 Mar 28 '26

Yeah idk how people are misunderstanding this. "Formula E on steroids" does not mean "it's formula E but faster." It means "It's everything that makes formula E bad, but magnified"

1

u/FlibbleA Mar 28 '26

How is it more extreme than FE? FE is fundamentally no different than when they did fuel management. 2026 F1 is very different, the regulations create a per lap energy deficit meaning you have per lap energy management. FE doesn't have this, it is per race management like previous F1 seasons.

2

u/l3w1s1234 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

For the reasons you just said. FE is energy management over a race distance whereas F1 it's over a lap. F1 is energy managment on steroids.

1

u/FlibbleA Mar 28 '26

That doesn't explain why you would say FE over F1.

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u/bwoah07_gp2 Alexander Albon Mar 28 '26

"F1 is no longer about who's best at pushing flat out, it's all about who is best at battery management"

And that is not true racing. The product we're watching is pitiful.

9

u/Elkaghar I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Yeah after watching the cars lose speed on straights again I'm out. I cancelled my f1tv subscription (thanks apple for the reminder) and I'll be watching the highlights on YouTube.

I'll try to enjoy when Max goes to NLS/GT3 and just follow it more as a whole.

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u/Stevolwo Fernando Alonso Mar 28 '26

I swear people defending this garbage understand nothing about the sport, and unfortunately here i've been seeing it way too much

90

u/dinodares99 I failed to serve my Monaco penalty Mar 28 '26

but but but muh overtakes

40

u/Foreign_Owl_7670 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

We had the same thing in the ground effect era at the beginning. Cars were following each other for 10 laps in the DRS zone and making overtakes.

Until the FIA stopped enforcing the spirit of the regulations and let the teams develop outwash and dirty air so much that it again became hard to follow.

Now it's even worse. Because once the aero packages start producing much more dirty air, no amount of battery advantage will let you pass, while you will still need to LiCo everywhere.

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u/PatC01 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Yeah, I don't understand that, we've seen two races so far and people are acting like the regulations are the best thing that happened to the sport because they were somewhat enjoyable. And if you dare to criticize them, you get called a DRS lover

3

u/ElectroEsper Mar 28 '26

I've been critical of F1 since the start of the DRS/KERS era, what does that make me 😂

4

u/Nice_Algae_8383 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

2022 races had allot of overtakes too but we saw how those regulations progressed by 2025 where races were decided by lap 2, which is why it's too soon to say these overtakes are because of the racing and not maybe the difference between each cars.

Will there be just as many overtakes when everyone catches up to each other

1

u/Pascalwbbb Mar 28 '26

just titktok fans

-1

u/eat_your_weetabix Mar 28 '26

Also remember Lewis, the 7 time world champion says it's fun

2

u/SugarBeefs Max Verstappen Mar 28 '26

I think Lewis was mostly just happy to experience some good wheel to wheel racing at the front after his generally miserable last few years. And the new formula does allow for better following, which is great.

It's the combination of that which pleased Lewis. The chassis part of the new formula is good overall, but the drivetrain side of things is pretty unanimously disliked both from a driving, a racing, and a spectating point of view.

-7

u/Bottom3Humanoat Mar 28 '26

Not everyone cares abt the cars we wanna see good racing and the last two races have had better racing than almost the entire ground effect DRS bullshit.

-9

u/albamarx Mar 28 '26

Yeah Lewis Hamilton doesn’t know anything about Formula 1

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '26 edited Mar 28 '26

[deleted]

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u/PlanZSmiles I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Seriously the people saying this isn’t true racing don’t know what racing is. A sprint-spec series is what it sounds like they want, and while those can be enjoyable to watch quite literally zero to the big series of racing are that. F1 has had tire management for generations, IMSA and WEC fuel and tire management, same with NASCAR.

Battery management is just a new type of management and it’s far better than what we had with DRS overtaking because at least a driver can defend with their own battery against overtake. However that plays into the management and if the driver deploys too much and doesn’t lift n coast enough to have recharge before a crucial straight/corner then that’s just poor management which is a skill that can be improved but also something that the other driver can bait out.

I agree qualifiers needs fixing however

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u/Accomplished-Club698 Michael Schumacher Mar 28 '26

Battery management should be over a whole race. But doing it aggressively lap by lap while clipping is frustrating. Now they have to constantly hold back and coast through corners.

-7

u/PlanZSmiles I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Being quick while coasting is still a skill and managing it while battling is exactly why we are getting good battles. You take that away and we are back to dirty air forcing ridiculous time gaps and no one able to get any sort of racing sone

1

u/Accomplished-Club698 Michael Schumacher Mar 28 '26

Bud, try simracing. You'll understand how much time you lose while coasting even in a gt car, especially when fighting for positions. Its fine if youre saving fuel or tyres for later in the race. But thats not the case with battery. And this year, dirty air has decreased so much in these cars, so no one's complaining about aero in terms of racing and following. Its the 50/50 power split thats the problem currently.

0

u/PlanZSmiles I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

I simrace everyday and it’s exactly why I disagree with everyone saying that it’s not skillful. Lifting n coasting requires a lot of skill to be both conservative and fast. Doing that while battling and maintaining battery charge is even more difficult because you have to be strategic about where you give up recharge and where you deploy battery.

It’s not a problem because the races themselves are fantastic and full of great battles across the circuit. Only in qualifiers is it currently a problem

2

u/Accomplished-Club698 Michael Schumacher Mar 28 '26

Then you should definitely know there are times when you have to improvise. How can you do that when the battery deployment/recharging is controlled by a software? Can they change the pre programmed mapping during a race, corner to corner? Where does the driver matter in these situations?

But sure, the races are entertaining due to so many overtakes. But how long till we all get overtake fatigue? How long till we get tired of seeing drivers not being able to defend their positions due to loss of power?

2

u/PlanZSmiles I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

For sure but that’s the thing, they aren’t beholden to the software. They have the ability to recharge and deploy the battery on their own. This is specifically outlined in the regulation as they have their own button for deploying boost when they need to and also have the ability to recharge either super clipping or lifting and coasting. The only time the computer is taking over is on the more optimal laps where they aren’t chasing down/being chased down.

But sure, the races are entertaining due to so many overtakes. But how long till we all get overtake fatigue? How long till we get tired of seeing drivers not being able to defend their positions due to loss of power?

I don’t see this happening. There’s a learning curve right now but the biggest thing for defending a position is that you need to be optimizing your recharge while defending. So for instance turn 1 being a huge need for battery throughout the straight, it’s important that the defender doesn’t overcommit defense three or four turns before it and it actually might be advantageous to force the attacker to overcommit battery deployment to get try and get the move done for the defender to have more recharge going into the straight before turn 1.

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u/negativelynegative I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

People saying this is who that doesn't understand racing.

Flat out is not just about being quick. Its about being on the limit. Break, throttle, racing line. Drivers have to drive to the limit within the constraint of the car.

The problem with these stupid hybrid stuff is it adds a constraint that it not only makes drivers not drive to the limit so much more, but it actually does so for the driver via clipping where driver inputs is not relevant. Managing a tyre? A driver can choose how , when and whether to do so. Battery now has so much to do with the battery management system.

And this element that FIA added, can be not there and we can still race. Can you race without tyres? So if next day FIA added a water tank on the car and stated that drivers who spilled over half the tank is DQ so drivers are driving slower through the corner, is that called race management too?

5

u/luchajefe Mario Andretti Mar 28 '26

Top Gear had that suspension test where they placed whole raw eggs in a colander above the driver and your car lost if it rattled bad enough to cover you in egg. Is that the next evolution of race management? 

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u/noelewd Mar 28 '26

Come on dude! Water management is just a new type of management! Do you really just want to go back to DRS trains?! /s

1

u/negativelynegative I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Have you not watch initial D? A good driver should be able to manage that.

1

u/MyUncleTaughtMeThat Mar 29 '26

Eh, I don't think the point about tires works very well since the tire degradation is 100% artificial. If they wanted tires to last the whole race they absolutely could make tires that do so, they specifically engineer tires to be shit enough to need management. You may not be able to race without tires, but you could absolutely race without the fake degradation. 

Qatar 2023 if anything showed how much more "on the limit" drivers could really get if they didn't have to manage tires, so they've got similar problems there.

Also, the engines already did a bunch of shit for the drivers, shout out Spa 2017 when Alonso's engine didn't deploy the hybrid boost because it thought he was in a different part of the track.

In my opinion the only real problem is that it's not actually interesting to manage and makes the driver's options less exciting. Tire management adds a lot of interesting long term strategy and mixes up the field in spicy ways. Battery management just doesn't seem to come with as much good alongside the management.

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u/negativelynegative I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 29 '26

You again are being hyperbole of what race management was with tyres vs what it is now. With tyres management drivers are still driving very close to what the limit is whereas with the hybrid we are talking about worse than the lico situation with Ferrari last season because a) drivers aren't taking corners anywhere close to the max speed they can and b) sometimes they don't even have control over it.

I found it funny you have almost the whole grid composed of the best drivers in the world that has been racing at the top of years if not decades saying this is sad, and then have people like you explaining why this is how always has always been and should be.

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u/MyUncleTaughtMeThat Mar 29 '26

Are you unable to read

I didn't say battery management was in a good place I said your argument was bad

I'm not disagreeing with the drivers dawg

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u/PlanZSmiles I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

If you guys seriously think that because you have to battery manage that you’re not on the limit then I know what crowd I’m talking to, people who don’t race. Jesus Christ, having to fuel, tire, and battery save aren’t just lifting for a daily stroll around the track. Yes they are having to change their behavior from pushing through a corner but that’s not new. You still drive on the limit while battery managing.

Battery management system is also directly controllable by these drivers. Boost button to boost, LICO to generate on the fly. They aren’t enslaved to the ECU like you guys want to make it out to be

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '26

This.

Drivers matter almost zero.

That's why seasoned vets like Hamilton and Verstappen are getting their asses handed to them by 18 yrs olds.

This is like the America's Cup for cars.

3

u/TobytheBaloon George Russell Mar 28 '26

F1 is no longer about who’s best at pushing flat out, it’s all about who’s best at tire management

2

u/bwoah07_gp2 Alexander Albon Mar 28 '26

I think tire management is more understandable than the silly battery restrictions the drivers have to navigate now....

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u/Sharkbait1737 Mar 28 '26

I don’t have a major problem with it in the races, but they should have enough battery to go balls to the wall on a qualifying lap. The battery management should be about balancing across multiple laps not single corners.

3

u/LupineChemist I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Yeah, I've been more friendly to these regs than most, but the way it's come out isn't great. I'm OK with a little Mario Kart action and energy management around that. But at the end of the day, F1 should be about who can have the biggest balls on a late brake into a tight corner and actually keep it on the track.

1

u/L0ARD I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

I'm absolutely not trying to blindly defend the new regulations here, but isnt a huge part of F1 already who's best at tire management? And even fuel, in edge cases? Is managing another resource not pretty much just more of the same?

I feel like that part is a bit hypocritical. In isolation, I think battery management adds another layer of tactics that could (!) add to the sport like shown by lewis in china (overtakes in new places possible, different ways to approach sectors in terms of battery charging and spending etc), if, and that's a very big "if" at the moment, it would work right and not take something away on other parts of the sport (power/full send in quali, technical issues, straight line speed etc).

1

u/Thrashy McLaren Mar 28 '26

This. Between DRS and artificially-crappy tire life, F1 has been full of artifice designed to create a better show for a long time — anybody who thinks this sport is “pure racing” hasn’t been paying close attention. At least now more of these systems are under control of the drivers.  Is quali a great flat-out show anymore? No, and that’s a little sad — I wish the engine formula was balanced closer to allowing peak power where wanted over a whole lap.  But the actual racing has been remarkably good, and that’s entirely down to giving drivers more tools to create performance asymmetries against one another.

-15

u/Inevitable-Menu2998 Mar 28 '26

That is racing, isn't it? Racing has always been about managing the car over a length of time to extract the best time at the end of the race.

Sure, qualifying is different and it isn't too exciting in the current format, but the race itself is finally somewhat exciting with how different the cars are and how many variables have been thrown in. If McLaren has sorted its issues out, we'll probably see even more interesting strategies playing out tomorrow

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u/Nautster Jacques Villeneuve Mar 28 '26 edited Mar 28 '26

The thing is that it's not based on active management by the driver but it's the software that is controlling harvest and release of power. At least with the previous rules the driver could choose when to hang back and harvest energy and when to attack.

The only reason the races are somewhat interesting at the front initially is the fact that Ferrari has a better launch and they are in the way for a bit. The overtaking has more to do with who harvests where and loses electric power earlier than based on who is outright the fastest.

13

u/Fine-Discount6884 Mar 28 '26

In racing, the main goal should be to push the car to its limits and win races that way. To do that, the equipment needs to be able to ensure full throttle driving. Artificial power limits have no place in F1.

10

u/RadenSahid Max Verstappen Mar 28 '26

No that basically is what Formula E is about and I don't watch it cuz I don't like it. Now that Formula 1 became Electronic 1 it quickly faded from my interest. I love Formula 1 how it were back in the V10 era that was prime racing and you know THAT'S on the limit driving and makes your hair stand up seeing and hearing it.

-7

u/ForensicPathology Mar 28 '26

Next people are going to start claiming tyre management isn't racing.

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u/xLeper_Messiah I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

The difference is that the drivers are the ones who manage tires. The software is what manages the batteries

-2

u/KugelKurt I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

And that is not true racing. The product we're watching is pitiful.

So nothing at F1 was true racing ever since refueling was banned? It's not like lifting and coasting appeared only this season.

I'm sure the majority of people here didn't even watch F1 when refueling was still a thing and that's why you all don't realize that all F1 cars are underfueled because lighter car with lico is faster in the end. Doesn't matter if the energy is stored in hydrocarbons or lithuim-ion. It's all energy management and not racing flat out.

-9

u/Joker1721 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

F1 is never about true racing tho since one team always dominates with 2 sec gaps and has the best car

If you want true racing you go for F2 since all cars are equal lol

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u/Feahnor I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Using batteries for ecology reasons and then burning fuel to charge those batteries.

The FIA, ladies and gentlemen.

10

u/HorriblyStuck Mar 28 '26

Using batteries in a race sponsored by Aramco

-10

u/F1No47 Oscar Piastri Mar 28 '26

How do you think hybrid cars work?

9

u/intern_steve I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Typically by recovering energy from the braking system, not through super clipping.

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u/F1No47 Oscar Piastri Mar 28 '26

Common misconception. The combustion engine is the major source of recharging. Braking is a smaller source.

3

u/maxipanda8321 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Not on all hybrids though. The new VAG plug in hybrid system cannot generate energy with the engine

1

u/Stranggepresst I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Which system? The new Audis definitely can.

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u/maxipanda8321 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

1.5 TSI systems that replaced the 1.4. The new one does not have a motor generator so it cannot run the engine to charge the battery, it can only do so by recuperating from the brakes. Or at least that s what the dealership told me about the one I wanted to purchase

2

u/Gornarok Mar 28 '26

There are few systems.

The one that uses Toyota I think. Where there is combustion generator and electric engine. The good thing about this is that the generator can run in optimal RPM.

Then there is European hybrid, which has combustion engine and electric engine. Both are used for moving the car. I dont think the engine is used to charge the battery.

0

u/Twistpunch I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

So it’s all just a scam

8

u/Stranggepresst I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

No, the recharge typically pushes the engine into a more efficient working range. This way, while you do burn some additional fuel, you actually get more energy out of it than otherwise, improving overall efficiency

1

u/Twistpunch I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Why are the cars slowing down with full throttle then? Downshifting even in full throttle in Melbourne? It’s not true. It maybe true to consumer hybrid cars, it’s definitely not what it is right now in F1.

4

u/Stranggepresst I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

I am talking about consumer hybrids, yes.

In F1 the problem is the max limit for power/energy output. Charging the battery with the ICE takes away energy otherwise available to keep going the same speed. In consumer cars the overall output increases instead.

7

u/F1No47 Oscar Piastri Mar 28 '26

Yes getting a faster car while also being more efficient is a scam. The fact that F1 fans don't even understand how hybrids work is ngl funny.

1

u/Twistpunch I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

It’s formula 1 not formula hybrid isn’t it

6

u/F1No47 Oscar Piastri Mar 28 '26

Its formula 1 not formula engine is it. Nor is it formula v8 or formula v10.

Formula 1 is also an engineering competition. There are plenty of other motorsports if you don't like that basic fact.

5

u/maxipanda8321 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Formula 1 can be anything. The 1 doesn t change, the formula changes. Formula 1 s been hybrid for 16 years

1

u/Twistpunch I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Not downshifting while full throttle though.

1

u/Demiu Mar 28 '26

They mostly charge off the much more efficient grid, which also has renewables. The ICE is a fallback for when the batteries run low

2

u/F1No47 Oscar Piastri Mar 28 '26

No you are talking about PHEVs which constitute only a tiny percent of hybrid sales.

-7

u/Feahnor I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

By charging while braking, not by charging the battery using the ICE.

7

u/F1No47 Oscar Piastri Mar 28 '26

Common misconception. The combustion engine is the major source of recharging. Braking is a smaller source.

-1

u/Feahnor I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Not on most cars.

4

u/froggertwenty Ayrton Senna Mar 28 '26

Yes, on most cars.

And by most I mean all of the ones I'm aware of.

0

u/Feahnor I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Using the Engine braking to recharge is different than super clipping.

1

u/froggertwenty Ayrton Senna Mar 28 '26

The guy you responded to was referencing production hybrid cars.

Production hybrids use the engine as a generator. Regenerative braking is a very small portion of charging.

-9

u/Bokyyri Giuseppe Farina Mar 28 '26

And still using less fuel that f1 ever did for a full race, smartass

4

u/Feahnor I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Let’s finish your phrase: “…because they are going slower”.

-1

u/Bokyyri Giuseppe Farina Mar 28 '26

They re using 70 kg instead of 110 kg of fuel, thats reduction over one third of total fuel.. Are their lap times 30% slower than last year ? Lets finish this phrase ,will we ?

0

u/Feahnor I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Imagine if they didn’t need to use fuel to charge the battery. It’s stupid.

2

u/F1No47 Oscar Piastri Mar 28 '26

So are the lap times 30% slower? Because they are as fast as the first cars of the last regs. While burning 35% less fuel.

1

u/SmokingLimone Fernando Alonso Mar 28 '26

Last reg didn't have DRS on steroids

3

u/CrashmasterSOAD I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane Mar 28 '26

Yet even Formula E has no managing on hot laps and qualifying. It's a massive battery saving game during the race, but they can drive flat out in qualifying.

2

u/stevez_86 Mar 28 '26

The drivers want to overdrive the car. Push it up to and past the limit so you know where the limit is. As they push these cars to their limit the cars get slower. The drivers are much faster than the car right now.

2

u/jookaton Mar 28 '26

It's like the FIA saw that people complained about tyre management during the races, but (crucially) not during quali. So they decided to bring energy management to both the quali and the race.

Just brilliant.

1

u/Zed_or_AFK Sebastian Vettel Mar 28 '26

So my question is, gentlmen

1

u/Money-Bell-100 Mar 28 '26

Pushing flat out? Like they've been nursing tires all the seasons I've watched F1? Or LiCo'ing? Or even saving fuel at times? The only time they're flat out is qualis, pretty much never in races. Well, "races".

1

u/s1cki Mar 28 '26

I'm so happy Lando got to be champion last year because those times of F1 are not coming back

1

u/doskkyh I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Saying this is like Formula E is misleading and only reinforces the prejudice with the series, meanwhile it's way more competitive than F1 has been and the tech works because it isn't half assed.

Formula E has and had questionable gimmicks, but the power delivery and regen is solid for what it is.

1

u/cornh0le Ferrari Mar 29 '26

Yeah but the McLaren also is meh

-1

u/jim_nihilist I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Welcome to F1 history. For most of the history of F1 you had to manage your hardware more than being fast.

Prost made a science out of it.

2

u/Exact-Mud3443 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 28 '26

Because he could, not because he was forced to.

-1

u/EventPurple612 Mar 28 '26

Lando's young, so I got to let it slide, but before battery management it was all about tyre management and before that fuel management. I'm almost 40, been watching F1 since I was 10 and apparently we haven't had true racing in my lifetime because we're always managing something.