F1 insider claims plan to take cars electric aged badly but says there is a fix

When Guenther Steiner tuned into the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, he couldn’t hide his shock. The former F1 team principal watched the season opener and saw something that left even him speechless—cars struggling in ways the sport’s brilliant minds never predicted.

The new regulations, which split power 50-50 between traditional engines and electric motors, immediately sparked chaos. Drivers were forced to lift and coast during qualifying, and a strange new term—”super-clipping”—became the talk of the paddock.

Four-time champion Max Verstappen didn’t hold back, calling the cars “Formula E on steroids.” Hardcore fans were stunned, while newer viewers actually enjoyed the wild overtaking at Albert Park.

Steiner opened up about that moment on the Up To Speed podcast. He admitted he was surprised F1, known for meticulous preparation, let things get so messy right out of the gate.

“I was surprised in Australia,” Steiner said. “You know how well F1 normally prepares. It was like, wow, I didn’t expect this.”

He pointed out that simulations could have predicted 95 percent of the issues. The fact that the cars looked much better by the Miami Grand Prix only made the rough start more puzzling.

According to Steiner, the timing of the regulations is key. When they were first drafted back in 2022, the world believed electric cars were the inevitable future. That hasn’t played out as expected.

“We all thought the future of the car is electric, and that didn’t happen,” Steiner explained. “The future of electric will happen, but not as we maybe expected five years ago.”

So what’s the fix? Steiner believes sustainable fuels could be the answer. If the fuel is net zero anyway, why keep forcing so much electricity into the equation?

“The next decision will be based on our knowledge now,” he said. “F1 always adapts. There’s money and bright people—when you’ve got those two things, it’s easy to get out of a hole.”

With the sport already tweaking the rules for Miami, one big question remains: Will F1 finally ditch the electric-heavy approach and embrace a cleaner, simpler future?