F1 drivers thought to be left exhausted by 2026 regulations: "They are drained"

Alex Brundle says F1’s 2026 drivers are being pushed to their mental limits during races as the new regulations make the cars far more demanding to manage

According to F1 TV analyst and racing driver Alex Brundle, the current Formula 1 drivers are facing an immense level of mental exhaustion during grands prix.

Speaking after the Japanese Grand Prix, Brundle noted a trend among the drivers: "I don't know if it's coming across to the viewer, but every driver that comes and stands next to us, they are drained. They have worked hard. You can see it in the eyes of the drivers that join us. They've really done the job."

1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve, who had joined F1 TV for the post-race analysis, added: "It's not physical. It's mental. It's the mental drain of all the energy and the focus they need for it, because physically, the cars aren't quick compared to last year. So, it's not physical, it's mentally draining."

The new era of regulations has introduced cars that are much more complex, with energy harvesting, Overtake Mode, the use of a boost button, amid other changes.

1996 champion and Villeneuve's former Williams team-mate Damon Hill joined the conversation.

Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Photo by: Lars Baron / LAT Images via Getty Images

"No, because when we did it was very easy," Hill laughed when asked to give some insight into what the current drivers were up against. "I was speaking with Jacques about this, this morning, and I mean they are overloaded with things to think about.

"I think it is literally like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time and then juggling and trying to do a mass equation. I mean it really is... They've got so many buttons and stuff to deal with."

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson had admitted he was "mentally drained" following the Japanese Grand Prix, noting the substantial amount that the drivers have to think about behind the wheels of the new regulation cars. "Good, a little bit mentally drained," he told F1 TV after the race. "It's very intense this year. You have a lot more that you're thinking about when you're driving. So, it was actually quite a tough race."