Stefano Domenicali has spent much of early 2026 playing “chief optimist” for Formula 1, frequently urging fans and drivers to “stay calm” and “not panic” despite the visible struggles on track. Yet Cadillac’s CEO now hints there may be huge changes coming sooner than people think.
While Audi is getting swamped at every start and drivers are complaining about “clipping” (losing power) at the end of straights, Domenicali’s public stance has been one of unwavering confidence—at least on the surface.
The F1 supremo has repeatedly pushed back against the “anxiety” in the paddock. Before the season opener in Australia, he told reporters: “I don’t feel this anxiety. We need to stay calm because whenever there is a new regulation, there is always the doubt that everything is wrong… I don’t understand what all this panicking is about.”
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Yet three race weekends into the 2026 season, there is more than mere “anxiety” amongst the drivers and engineers in the paddock. Max Verstappen has been scathing about the new hybrid powertrains and the impact on the drivers of having to permanently work on their energy management.
Other drivers too have been critical of the weird and wonderful world of the new F1 engines, with Lando Norris making a remarkable claim following the Japanese Grand Prix. “I didn’t even want to overtake Lewis, it’s just about when the battery deploys… I don’t want it to deploy, but I can’t control it. So I overtake him, and then I have no battery, so he [overtakes me back].”
The world champion describes how it ‘hurts his soul’ when the battery runs out and his speed drops “50-60kph” at the end of a straight. As the final touches were being made to the 2026 regulations back in 2024 he told Auto Motor und Sport, “my personal opinion is that it would be sufficient to use climate-neutral fuel. However, we had to take the manufacturers’ wishes into account.” Then hinting he was already looking beyond the 2026 engines he added, “things have developed so quickly that today a decision might be different from two years ago. I am not an engineer, but I must have a vision of what the sport will look like in the future.”
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“Refinements” required to 2026 rules
Domenicali also suggested if the new power unit rules didn’t work out, then their life span could be just 3 years in length. A more normal F1 time frame before fundamental changes are brought in is around 5 years which would see the next iteration of F1 power start in 2031.
A vision of the future in Stefano’s mind appears to be one without electrification and even hybrids. “There were moments when we were asked to go completely electrified. We stuck to the hybrid solution and then realised that with sustainable fuel we could show the world that there are other technologies. But at the time when the 2026 engine regulations were written, we could not do without hybrid.” The implication is clear: hybrids are not or will not be necessary in the future.
Despite the “everything is fine” narrative from Domenicali this season, the reality of the Chinese Grand Prix—where cars were visibly slower in the corners and struggling with battery deployment—forced a significant change in tone. By late March 2026, Domenicali began to pivot.
He acknowledges whilst the rules can’t be scrapped, he is open to “refinements” if they can be agreed in a “constructive way.” Yet for many of the drivers and fans alike, the thought of almost five more years with the current “Frankencar” and powertrains is tortuous. And now there is hope on the horizon that Domenicali’s 2024 suggestion this F1 engine cycle could be shortened rise again.
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Cadillac boss says F1 engine regulations can change before 2031
Cadillac’s CEO has now spoken out over when the US auto manufacturer will build its own F1 power unit. Currently the team is using one from Ferrari given the lead times required to design and deliver a brand new F1 engine.
When asked at a recent media event at their UK base, Dan Towriss of Cadillac revealed: “As of right now, we’re slated to bring the Cadillac PU online to compete in 2029.” The original timescale was to be for 2028, yet following Domenicali’s suggestion F1 may return to simpler, less expensive engines, it was agreed with the FIA that 2029 would be the timeline for Cadillac to produce its own power unit.
Having discussed the current relationship with Ferrari at length, Towriss hinted at the fact the goalposts are changing regarding F1’s next era of engines. It was suggested to the Cadillac F1 team CEO that spending hundreds of millions of dollars on designing and building a powertrain which would only have a two-year shelf life would surely not sit well with the auto manufacturer’s board back in Detroit.
“Like I said, we’re really following the conversation on the regs, closely,” he said in somewhat of a guarded fashion. “It’s possible that the regulations could change before 2031. It’s possible that they don’t change before 2031.”
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Further meetings this week to sort out F1 racing
Of course the second statement was required from Towriss for political reasons, as Domenicali is presently battling overwhelming negativity towards the current form of F1 power. Despite his previous criticisms of the all-new F1 powertrains, Domenicali is now forced onto the back foot for political reasons.
Having admitted that the 2026 rules were designed primarily to attract manufacturers (like Audi and Ford), to admit the rules are a “disaster” now would be to admit that F1 sacrificed the “spectacle” and driver satisfaction just to balance the corporate checkbooks.
Two meetings are planned for early this week, where the FIA and all stakeholders will discuss “tweaks” to the current rules to improve the racing spectacle. Yet the fundamental philosophy behind the 2026 F1 V6 turbo hybrids means the worst excesses may be able to be mitigated, but fundamentally the kind of racing we now have will continue given it is defined by the nature of the power units.
NEXT ARTICLE: Karma afflicting Audi F1 terrible starts
Last Updated on April 12 2026, 2:14 pm
Whilst the world of Formula One is on hold in April due to the war in Iran, the various teams are beavering away back at base to fix a plethora of issues afflicting these all-new cars and engines.
Whilst much of the focus at Red Bull Racing will be on the poorly performing chassis, at Audi there is a glaring matter now top of their ‘to do’ list. The start of the races has seen each Audi driver on average lose four places before the end of the first lap.
Audi’s launch phase has been anemic, leaving their drivers defenceless as the pack swarms past at lights out. Nico Hulkenberg lost a whopping nine places in China and the problem is clearly with the Audi-built powertrain. In terms of being able to get away from a standing start, Gabriel Bortoleto was described as “terrible” after both he and Hulkenberg lost a combined ten places at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix.
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