Carlos Sainz believes that Formula 1 is currently in a good position and therefore regrets that the new rules from 2026 could widen the gap between the teams again.
“I think Formula 1 is in a good place right now,” Carlos Sainz sums up at the end of the 2024 season, which was much more varied than the 2023 season in the premier class.
While Red Bull won 21 of the 22 races in the 2024 season, a year later there were four teams that won races: Red Bull (9 wins), McLaren (6), Ferrari (5) and Mercedes (4). What’s more, the World Championship fights were much more exciting.
Max Verstappen won the drivers’ title again, but the Dutchman only secured the 2024 World Championship in the last triple-header of the year, while the Constructors’ Championship was not decided until the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
According to Sainz, this is proof that there is currently “a level playing field” in Formula 1. “I think that the teams have more equal opportunities in the fight. And it’s not just about the budget,” emphasizes the Spaniard.
For example, people themselves or the infrastructure could currently make a difference, explains the future Williams driver. “You can see that with the four top teams. We are all within a few tenths,” says Sainz, who was still driving for Ferrari in 2024.
Sainz: For drivers, it is currently “fairer”
“And that makes the drivers’ championship fairer because the driver can make a bigger difference,” says the 30-year-old, who explains: “In a way, it’s a shame that everything will be reset in 2026.”
Background: In just over a year, the chassis and engine rules in Formula One will undergo extensive changes, and a major rule change often results in some teams mastering them better than others, giving them an advantage as they enter the new era.
The times when four different teams are regularly capable of winning could then be over for the time being. Sainz regrets this, “because I feel that for the first time in a very, very long time, Formula 1 is creating a level playing field for all teams and all drivers to show who the best team is, but also who the best driver is.”
Ironically, Sainz himself could benefit from the major rule changes in 2026. This is because his new employer Williams only finished in penultimate place in the 2024 season and could therefore be one of the teams for which the new rules present an opportunity to move up the field.
