Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas has opened up on a Components 1 drivers’ WhatsApp group chat because the season is ready to re-launch with new rules
Valtteri Bottas has opened up on a drivers’ WhatsApp group (Picture: Getty)
Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas has revealed there’s a Components 1 drivers’ WhatsApp group the place votes came about surrounding the 2026 rules. Some drivers have criticised this season’s vehicles for being powered by hybrid engines and counting on extra electrical vitality than ever earlier than.
DRS has additionally been changed by ‘overtake mode’, and battery administration has turn out to be a vital a part of racing, resulting in way more overtaking; nonetheless, critics have stated it’s synthetic. The issues have since been addressed after a sequence of conferences between F1 stakeholders in April. Among the many rule modifications made embrace a decreased recharge in qualifying, elevated super-clipping energy to cut back period, a lift cap of +150 kW, and aids to sluggish race begins.
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And Bottas admits he helps the changes, particularly people who concern closing speeds at corners, following Ollie Bearman’s 50G crash at Suzuka in late March.
Chatting with the media forward of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, he stated: “All the brand new changes to the principles – it is smart. I feel it is in the fitting route when it comes to making an attempt to have much less gaps with the closing speeds, maybe a little bit bit much less aggressive clipping on the finish of the straights, in order that is smart. I feel it is nonetheless fairly a small step, however a step into the fitting route.
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“I imply, you could possibly do a much bigger change, however on the identical time, I feel what is difficult is that I perceive that you do not wish to penalise any groups which have completed nicely.
Ollie Bearman’s crash seems to have been a turning level (Picture: Getty)
“You do not wish to make modifications that may change the order of the groups or something like this. Mid-season, doing massive, massive modifications it is fairly tough so I feel it is a good good first step.”
The Finn was later requested in regards to the function the drivers performed in altering the 2026 rules earlier than Miami. The 36-year-old has revealed that votes had been taken in a gaggle chat.
He added: “Yeah, so we, all drivers, we’ve this group chat on WhatsApp. So we have been speaking there rather a lot and particularly after Japan.
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“We did some votes and stuff like that, however every thing is sort of aligned. I feel everybody agrees it is stepped in the fitting route.
“However now we have to see these items in motion. However I feel all of the drivers are aligned.
“It is typically solely a few drivers that talk to the FIA, however usually they communicate on behalf of all of us, the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation).”
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