Stefano Domenicali has a message for Formula 1’s growing chorus of worriers: take a deep breath.
As debate swirls around the sport’s sweeping 2026 technical regulations, the Formula One CEO and president is cutting through the noise with unusual bluntness – dismissing the early handwringing and backing the FIA and teams to iron out any wrinkles that may exist as the season kicks into gear.
The new era, built around a near 50/50 split between electric and combustion power and fueled by fully sustainable fuels, has already reshaped the grid’s future.
Heavyweights such as Audi, General Motors and Ford Motor Company have committed to the project, while Honda is once again a works participant. On paper, it’s a technological coup.
But in the garages, the mood has been more cautious.
Pre-season testing in Bahrain exposed energy deployment headaches, with cars unable to run flat out for an entire lap.
Drivers have voiced frustration over aggressive harvesting systems. Some in the paddock have even raised alarms about closing speeds and overtaking opportunities, particularly with F1’s season-opener looming at Albert Park next month.
Domenicali, however, isn’t joining the panic.
‘We need to stay calm’
Speaking firmly as speculation gathered pace in Bahrain, Domenicali made clear he believes the reaction has run ahead of reality.
"I don't feel this anxiety, we need to stay calm because as always when there is something happening with new regulations there's always the doubt that everything is wrong," Domenicali told reporters.
He stressed that the issues raised – particularly around energy availability – are already under active discussion within the sport’s decision-making structures.
"I can really assure you that in the F1 Commission there has been an open discussion to put on the table possible solutions to address this kind of [lack of energy] issue,” he added.
“And therefore, there's going to be a meeting before the start of the season to avoid overreaction, because it's pretty clear we need to avoid overreaction.
“We just stepped into a new journey, so that's why we need to stay calm."
In other words: this is not a crisis – it’s a work in progress.
"And if there is something that is useful and can be implemented straight away, I've seen a very open approach by the FIA and also the teams showing the same kind of approach to eventually solve this kind of issues that are on the table to be solved and fixed,” the Italian argued.
That “open approach” from the FIA and the teams could prove crucial if tweaks are required on safety or sporting grounds. The door, Domenicali suggests, is not locked.
‘I don’t understand what all this panicking is’
The sharpest edge of the debate surrounds overtaking. Will the new power units leave drivers stranded on straights? Will extreme harvesting compromise wheel-to-wheel racing?
Domenicali’s answer is unequivocal.
"I don't understand what all this panicking is that's going around, because there will be incredible racing, there will be a lot of action," he explained. "And that's why as I said prudence is always part of my style.
"And in any case, if something is not as we would [want it], I think that the credibility of the sport is we can sit down with responsible people, the technical people and the FIA, to find solutions."
Having watched the cars trackside in Bahrain, he insists the spectacle remains intact – not diluted.
"I want to reassure the fans that this is an incredible spectacle, because I was just on the track to see outside with a fan's eye. I didn't see any difference whether it was speed, sound,” he said.
"Of course, the most sophisticated fans will understand the different sounds in a certain situation, but I guarantee that the 99.9% of the fans will not feel that because it's impossible.
“And therefore, I want to be positive in that respect. And as I said if something has to be rectified there will be the time and the measure that we can do together as a system to react."
Formula 1 has always thrived on reinvention – and anxiety has often been its shadow. From hybrid engines to ground-effect cars, every revolution has triggered dire predictions before delivering drama.
But if Domenicali’s tone is anything to go by, the sport’s leadership sees evolution, not emergency.The panic, he suggests, is louder than the problem.
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