On Thursday the FIA presented an outline of the all-new 2026 F1 cars with an even bigger emphasis on electrical power and far decrease drag and downforce ranges.
The extra slippery automobiles are projected to be slower by the corners, however sooner on the straights than the present equipment, which Russell believes comes with security implications.
“The automobiles are going to take a fairly a giant flip by way of how they carry out,” mentioned Russell, additionally a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation that represents the drivers’ pursuits.
“They are going to be exceptionally fast within the straights, 360km/h most likely at most tracks, which is fairly spectacular.
“Clearly then the protection must be most likely improved, as a result of having a crash at 360, 370km/h goes to be fairly loopy.”
A specific level of concern is what may occur on ultra-fast road circuits like Jeddah and Baku, with Russell urging the rule makers to rethink whether or not even sooner high speeds are actually a desired by-product of the 2026 guidelines shift.
“On the subject of security, sadly, historical past has instructed us that incidents have to occur earlier than modifications are made,” he defined.
“Everyone must do a extremely thorough job forward of those laws, as a result of the automobiles are going to be so fast.
F1 2026 FIA automobile renders
Photograph by: FIA
“It should have so little downforce within the straights, it is virtually going to really feel such as you’re simply flying by the air.
“You’ll be able to think about in a race that it begins raining and also you’re on slick tyres, and also you’re doing 250 miles an hour on a road circuit. That is going to be a little bit of a sketchy place to be, so these are questions that have to be answered.
“To be truthful to the FIA, they’re absolutely conscious of this they usually’re on high of this, they usually’re taking a look at the entire doable situations of what may occur.
“Time will inform, however the automobiles are already bloody quick as they’re. The place can we cease, are we going to stand up to 400 kilometres an hour? Do the followers actually need or need to see this?”
Russell felt it might be a disgrace to lose the high-downforce efficiency of the present technology of automobiles, however mentioned it might be a worthy compromise if it means the standard of the racing improves.
“From a driving standpoint you need the quickest automobiles, you need to really feel such as you’re in a fighter jet and in 2020 and 2021 that is the way it felt, and now these automobiles are getting very fast once more,” he added.
“It could be a disgrace to lose a few of that efficiency of the automobile. However on the flip aspect, it can enhance the racing if there’s much less downforce and there is much less soiled air.
“You’ll be able to’t have all of it and you have to select your battles. What’s it that we need to obtain?
“For me, you need to have good, onerous racing, and robust competitors, ideally, between each workforce and each driver.”
Watch: The Way forward for Method One – First Have a look at The 2026 F1 Laws