Car Manufacturers, FIA, Liberty Media: ALL to blame for F1's current state | Drivers FORCED changes

Has F1 2026 Delivered on Its Promise? Soumil and Kunal examine why Formula One’s 2026 season feels underwhelming despite major storylines, including Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, a potential youngest-ever champion, and struggling world champions. They debate whether the problem lies with the technical regulations, battery management, governance structure, or the sport’s changing identity. In this episode: - Why a season packed with headline stories can still feel dry to established F1 fans. - How the 50-50 electric and combustion power-unit split has created battery conservation and “super clipping” problems. - Why drivers can no longer consistently drive flat out, and why that may matter more than the exact electric-to-combustion ratio. - The blame game between drivers, the FIA, manufacturers, team bosses, and Formula One’s commercial rights holders. - How teams gained influence over the regulations through the Concorde Agreement after previous attempts at unilateral rule changes. - Why the FIA can influence the grid’s size but does not have equivalent political power to rewrite the technical formula. - Whether independent teams could run a breakaway championship, and why the Formula One brand remains difficult to replicate outside the FIA umbrella. - The tension between traditional fans focused on racing and engineering and newer fans drawn to fashion, travel, lifestyle, and storytelling. - Proposed incremental fixes, including a 60-40 power split from 2028 and possible budget-cap changes to support new chassis and larger fuel capacity. - Why Soumil and Kunal argue that fans should remain patient while the sport tries to correct the current direction. Timestamps: 00:02 - Why the 2026 season feels dry despite major storylines 00:57 - The missing ingredient: flat-out internal-combustion racing 01:32 - Carlos Sainz’s criticism of the 2022 regulations 02:23 - Why the teams blocked the ideal Formula One formula 03:04 - The long-term impact of the Concorde Agreement 03:45 - How battery management changed the demands on drivers 05:33 - Why racing flat out may matter more than the 50-50 power split 06:39 - Incremental fixes and the FIA’s limited political power 07:24 - What the FIA and Liberty Media actually control 08:17 - How the FIA gained influence over the number of teams 09:12 - The failed history of unilateral rule changes 09:42 - Could the teams run Formula One themselves? 11:00 - Why a breakaway series could not simply use the F1 name 12:14 - Are fans losing interest, or is the audience growing? 12:53 - Old fans, new fans, and the debate over gatekeeping 14:06 - Why off-track stories still keep fans invested 15:05 - The case for gradual technical changes 15:35 - Why patience may be necessary during the regulation cycle 📢 F1 journalists & bloggers — if you quote this interview, please credit: Inside Line F1 Podcast. Sharing is caring. So is attribution. 🧡 Don’t forget to like, comment with your thoughts, and subscribe for more exclusive F1 interviews and breakdowns! Follow Us: X: https://x.com/insidelinef1pod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidelinef1pod/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3P2RsaP89xP1xvG7twj8pd Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-line-f1-podcast/id632531804 Follow our hosts: ► Soumil Arora: https://www.instagram.com/iamsoumilarora/ ► Kunal Shah: https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices