Gabriel Bortoleto believes Formula 1 drivers must adapt to the new 2026 regulations and rejects the idea that the latest cars favor only certain driving styles.

Gabriel Bortoleto has defended the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, arguing that top drivers should be able to adapt to any type of car. The Audi rookie rejected the idea that the new generation of cars unfairly favors certain driving styles.

The debate has intensified throughout the season as drivers have criticized the increased complexity of energy management and the influence of the new power unit systems.

Gabriel Bortoleto believes Formula 1 drivers must adapt to any type of car under the 2026 regulations.

Bortoleto believes adaptability is one of the defining qualities of a Formula 1 driver.

According to the Brazilian, motorsport should not be limited to a single driving technique learned through karting and junior categories.

Bortoleto rejects the driving style argument

The new 2026 regulations place much greater emphasis on battery deployment and energy management, forcing drivers to adjust their approach throughout a lap.

The 2026 regulations have increased the importance of energy management and battery deployment.

Bortoleto acknowledged that drivers have had to make small adjustments in braking zones, corner entry and corner exit depending on how the energy deployment is managed.

However, he insisted that these changes do not fundamentally alter what it means to be a fast driver.

He argued that the best drivers remain competitive regardless of the regulations, pointing to Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris as examples of drivers who continue to perform at a high level.

The fastest drivers are still at the front

The Brazilian believes the championship has not suddenly reversed the competitive order.

Bortoleto says the fastest drivers remain at the front despite the changes introduced for the 2026 season.

He rejected the suggestion that previously slower drivers have become quick simply because of the new technical rules.

Instead, Bortoleto sees the 2026 cars as another challenge that drivers must learn to master, just as Formula 1 competitors have always adapted to different regulations throughout the sport’s history.

The Gabriel Bortoleto F1 2026 comments highlight the growing divide between drivers who have criticized the new power unit regulations and those who believe adaptability remains the key skill at the highest level of Formula 1.

McLaren says the MCL40 remains difficult to drive at the limit, and the team is working to improve both performance and drivability for Norris and Piastri.

McLaren may have returned to the top step of the podium, but the team says the MCL40 still hides an important weakness. The victory in Hungary confirmed the car’s strong pace, yet engineers insist it remains difficult to drive consistently at the limit.

That challenge has become one of McLaren’s biggest priorities for the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

McLaren says the MCL40 remains difficult to drive despite its improved performance and recent victory.

According to Neil Houldey, McLaren’s director of Applied Engineering, the team has received clear feedback from both drivers that the car is not easy to extract maximum performance from.

The goal is not only to make the MCL40 faster, but also to make it more accessible for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

McLaren wants a faster and easier car

The team believes there is still untapped performance in the car, particularly if it can improve its balance and overall handling characteristics.

The team is trying to improve both outright speed and drivability across different types of circuits.

Houldey explained that McLaren is working on developments that can increase aerodynamic performance while also making the car easier to drive in both qualifying and race conditions.

This has been a recurring theme throughout the season. Norris has repeatedly pointed to weaknesses in slow-speed corners, where the car can become less predictable and reduce driver confidence.

The issue is not simply a lack of downforce. It is the car’s ability to operate consistently across a wider range of conditions and circuits.

Hungary showed the potential, but not the final answer

McLaren introduced one of its most significant upgrade packages of the season in Hungary, including a revised floor and aerodynamic changes.

The Hungary upgrades showed the MCL40’s potential, but McLaren says development is far from finished.

The result was immediate, with Norris delivering the team’s first victory under the 2026 regulations. However, McLaren does not see that success as proof that development is complete.

Instead, the team wants to expand the MCL40’s operating window so that its performance can be accessed more easily across different circuits and conditions.

The McLaren MCL40 problem is now less about outright speed and more about drivability. The car has shown it can win races, but the next step is making that performance easier for Norris and Piastri to unlock consistently throughout the remainder of the season.

Checo Pérez says Cadillac’s biggest weakness is its development process, with the new Formula 1 team still struggling to improve its car during the 2026 season.

Checo Pérez believes Cadillac’s biggest obstacle in Formula 1 is not a lack of effort, but the way the team develops its car. The Mexican driver says the American squad has struggled to improve the MAC-26 during its debut season and needs to rethink its development process if it wants to become competitive.

Cadillac remains without a point after the first 11 races of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Although the team expected a difficult first year, Pérez says the lack of meaningful progress has become increasingly frustrating.

Checo Pérez says Cadillac needs a stronger development process to become competitive in Formula 1.

Cadillac has not developed the car fast enough

Pérez believes the team’s main weakness is the limited pace of development. Despite introducing several upgrade packages, including a major update during the middle of the season, Cadillac has not gained performance at the same rate as its rivals.

The gap to the midfield has remained significant, while other teams have made more effective progress with their upgrades.

According to Pérez, Formula 1 is fundamentally a development race. Teams that improve their cars consistently move forward, and Cadillac has not yet reached that level of efficiency.

Cadillac has introduced upgrades during 2026, but the performance gains have been limited.

A new team still lacks an established structure

Pérez also pointed to the challenges of building a Formula 1 organization from scratch. Cadillac still relies on external suppliers for some components, which reduces the team’s control over manufacturing and development.

That creates inefficiencies that established teams no longer face. More importantly, Cadillac is still defining its internal processes, while long-established organizations already have clear development systems that allow them to bring performance updates more effectively.

Cadillac continues building the internal structure needed to improve its Formula 1 development.

The focus is already shifting toward 2027

Even though more upgrades are expected during the second half of the season, Pérez says the team is already balancing current development with preparations for 2027.

The objective is not only to improve the current car, but also to build a stronger technical and organizational foundation for the future. Cadillac wants to prove that its development process can become competitive, giving the team confidence for its second Formula 1 season.

For now, Checo Pérez Cadillac F1 remains focused on solving the development limitations that have defined the team’s difficult debut campaign. Cadillac believes improving its internal processes will be the key to making meaningful progress in the years ahead.