Lewis Hamilton has launched a scathing attack on Formula 1’s decision-making structure, declaring that drivers are effectively powerless when it comes to shaping the sport’s regulations.
Speaking at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, where he finished sixth, the seven-time world champion dismissed any notion that competitors could meaningfully influence rule changes.
“The drivers don’t have a say,” Hamilton said.
“We have no power. We’re not on the committee; we have no voting rights.”
His remarks came amid mounting frustration over F1’s new power unit regulations, with criticism intensifying after Ollie Bearman’s crash during the race at Suzuka highlighted the dangers created by significant speed differentials between cars.
Carlos Sainz echoed Hamilton’s frustrations, pointing directly at the governance structure as the root cause of dangerous racing conditions.
The Williams driver argued that Bearman’s collision with Franco Colapinto’s Alpine exemplified the consequences of excluding competitors from meaningful consultation.
Lewis Hamilton has launched a scathing attack on Formula 1’s decision-making structure, declaring that drivers are effectively powerless when it comes to shaping the sport’s regulations
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GETTY
“That’s the problem when you listen only to the teams, that they will think the racing is OK because maybe they’re having fun watching it on the TV,” Sainz said.
He highlighted that the 50km/h speed differential which caught out Bearman was a direct result of the new power unit regulations and their energy management demands, issues that drivers had been raising concerns about throughout the weekend.
Sainz elaborated on why such dramatic speed variations pose an unacceptable risk to competitors on track.
F1 facts fans might not know | GETTY/GBNEWS
“But from a driver standpoint, when you are racing each other, and you realise that there can be 50km/h speed delta, that’s actually not racing,” he explained.
The Spaniard emphasised that no other motorsport category permits such extreme closing speeds between vehicles, warning that these conditions inevitably lead to serious incidents.
“There’s no category in the world where you have this kind of closing speeds because that’s when big accidents can happen because it catches you by surprise, you defend late, it catches you or the car [behind],” Sainz added.
He urged the FIA to prioritise driver feedback over team preferences when considering regulatory amendments.
The FIA responded to Sunday’s incident by issuing a statement reaffirming its intention to discuss potential rule modifications with relevant parties in the coming weeks.
Lewis Hamilton was unable to secure a spot on the podium during Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix | GETTY
Bearman emerged from the collision without sustaining any serious injuries, while Haas confirmed they did not hold Colapinto responsible for the accident.
Sainz expressed hope that governing body officials would implement improvements ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, calling for both immediate adjustments and longer-term solutions.
“[I hope] they come up with a plan for Miami that improves the situation, and a plan also for the medium-term future of these regulations to keep improving it,” he said.
The FIA is scheduled to hold crucial meetings in the coming days to address the power unit concerns.
