‘The best response’: Stella urges unity on F1 regulations changes

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has added his significant weight to the chorus of voices demanding urgent technical refinements to Formula 1’s 2026 regulations – a ruleset that has already triggered chaos and driver safety fears.

Grand Prix racing’s new era rule book was never going to be simple. Built around a radical new power unit concept with a near-even split between combustion and electrical energy, the regukations were designed to secure manufacturer commitment while reshaping how the cars behave on track.

While critics have been quick to lambaste the new technical era, Stella remains pragmatic about why the sport pivoted to such a radical 50/50 power split between internal combustion and electrical energy.

For McLaren, the complexity of the current cars is the price of admission for global automotive giants, yet the execution remains a work in progress.

A justified evolution

“We are well aware, as Stefano Domenicali reminded us once again in recent days, of how we arrived at the new regulations and how necessary this power unit architecture was to ensure the participation of some of the biggest car manufacturers in Formula 1,” Stella explained in an interview published on McLaren’s official website.

“The car regulations were then defined around this PU architecture, with the aim of making the cars lighter and more manoeuvrable, while always bearing in mind two imperatives: ensuring maximum safety and preserving the great racing spectacle we have witnessed in recent years.

“For almost four months now, we have been seeing the fruits of a highly complex conceptual effort. It is complex for the teams, for the drivers and also for the fans.”

Despite the early turbulence – cars lifting on straights to harvest energy, compromised qualifying laps, and increased reliance on automated engine modes – Stella insists the bigger picture remains encouraging.

“In assessing these first few months of the new season and regulations, we must think objectively,” he continued.

“If we look first and foremost at the data, we cannot deny that the fans’ reaction has been positive overall, with average approval ratings for the first three races higher than in 2025, not to mention the three sell-outs recorded in Melbourne, Shanghai and Suzuka.

“Television audience figures are also very encouraging, with overall increases all in double figures, between 20 and 30%, as reported to us by F1.”

Fixing the cracks before they spread

Still, Stella is not interested in complacency. With the FIA already exploring adjustments, he has joined a growing chorus calling for targeted changes – particularly to restore the purity of flat-out qualifying and address safety concerns.

“At the same time, and as we at McLaren have highlighted since the very first tests, there are areas that can be improved to make the rules even better and more effective.

“Meetings are currently taking place between all parties involved, including the drivers who are, ultimately, the stars of this sport, with the aim of determining, under the guidance of the FIA, what and how things can be improved.

“I am thinking, for example, at how we can ensure that driving ‘flat-out’ in qualifying is something properly rewarding for the drivers, but also looking at things with the perspective of safety at how we can make starts and close racing safer.”

Those talks now carry real urgency. Early fixes – such as tweaks to race start procedures – have already been implemented, but broader changes could arrive as soon as Miami.

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“We will meet with the FIA and F1 to decide how to implement these potential adjustments. In any case, the sense of responsibility and spirit of collaboration that everyone is demonstrating represent the best response that Formula 1 can give at this moment.”

Stella’s message is clear: Formula 1 has little margin for error. The current regulations are not broken – but they are not yet delivering their full promise either.

With Miami looming, the sport faces a critical choice. Refine the rules now, while unity still exists, or risk letting small flaws grow into bigger problems. For Stella and McLaren, the path forward demands one thing above all else: collective resolve.

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