Despite the major technical revolution of 2026, Pierre Gasly notes that the hierarchy seems surprisingly familiar in Formula 1. The four major teams continue to dictate the pace for now.
The introduction of the new technical regulations was theoretically supposed to reshuffle the deck in Formula 1. However, the first indications from winter testing seem to tell a different story.
According to Pierre Gasly, the same teams still dominate the hierarchy : Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and McLaren.
The Alpine driver admits to being surprised by this continuity despite the scale of the regulatory changes introduced for the 2026 season.
“We will see the real hierarchy after three or four races,” he explains, while acknowledging that the first trends are already visible.
“But it’s quite surprising to see the four top teams still ahead, especially when you know they are the ones with the least wind tunnel time.”
The ATR system called into question
For several years, Formula 1 has used a mechanism called Aerodynamic Test Restriction (ATR) to reduce the gap between teams. This system further limits the aerodynamic development time of the teams ranked highest in the championship.
Conversely, the teams at the bottom of the table have more wind tunnel hours to catch up on their technical delay. For Gasly, seeing the dominant teams stay ahead despite this theoretical disadvantage raises some questions.
“There are questions to be asked,” he emphasizes. “It’s surprising that they manage to do better with almost 50% less time. If they had the same time as everyone else, what would that mean? Three seconds ahead?”
These remarks illustrate the frustration felt by some midfield teams regarding the ability of the most powerful structures to maintain their advantage.
Alpine hopes to progress after a difficult season
The 2025 season was particularly complicated for Alpine, which finished in last place in the constructors’ championship. To try to bounce back, the French team made several important decisions for 2026.
The most notable concerns the abandonment of the Renault engine in favor of a power unit supplied by Mercedes. Furthermore, the team quickly directed its resources toward the design of the new single-seater adapted to the 2026 regulations.
Gasly believes these efforts are starting to bear fruit, even if he remains cautious about the team’s actual position.
“It’s better than last year, but it’s still too early to know the exact hierarchy.”
For now, he believes the field seems divided into two distinct groups.
“At the moment, it looks like there are two championships. The gap is quite significant between the leading teams and the rest of the pack. We seem to be somewhere in the middle of the grid.”
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Very different cars to drive
Drivers must also adapt to a very different behavior of the new cars. Cornering performance, in particular, has evolved with the new technical rules.
Gasly gives a concrete example to illustrate this change: “When you took a corner at 250 km/h last year and this year you take it at 220, the feeling is not the same.”
For him, this doesn’t necessarily mean the new cars are less interesting to drive: “It’s not necessarily worse, it’s simply a different challenge. Driving the car remains extremely exciting.”
On the other hand, one aspect of the regulations seems harder to accept for some drivers.
“The only thing harder to accept is the whole electrical part,” he explains. “It has a huge impact on performance and requires much more management than before.”
Ralf Schumacher criticizes the increasing complexity of F1
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher also shares his surprise at the consequences of the new rules.
According to him, it is surprising that certain technical difficulties are only appearing now, despite the modern simulation tools available to the teams.
“What surprises me most is that with all the brilliant minds and all the simulations, people are only now realizing how complex these issues are.”
For Schumacher, this situation fuels media debates but does not necessarily serve the image of the championship: “It’s good for journalists, but not for Formula 1.”
The German also understands the criticisms voiced by some drivers regarding electrical energy management.
“I agree with Max Verstappen: there is far too much calculation with electrical energy,” he believes. “The overall performance is significantly lower and the cars are considerably heavier.”
A future regulation already under consideration?
According to Schumacher, the discipline could be led to reflect on an evolution of its technical philosophy in the coming years. He mentions a possible alternative for the future of the discipline.
“The plan B could be a return to classic internal combustion engines with synthetic fuels by 2030.”
For him, Formula 1 must preserve the very essence of this sport: “F1 should become a gladiatorial sport again, and not be perceived primarily through the prism of sustainability.”
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