It was the topic of conversation in the run-up to the Canadian GP: The FIA has presented the new Formula 1 rules for 2026. A lot is changing. The cars will be smaller and lighter, have a higher hybrid share in the engine and will flatten the wings on the straights with active aerodynamics. The latter was a big topic for Mercedes driver George Russell. The Briton has considerable safety concerns.
Formula 1 history teaches us: Don’t wait until something happens to change something!
“I think the cars will change a lot in terms of their performance. They will be exceptionally fast on the straights. Probably 360 km/h on most tracks, which is pretty impressive,” predicted Russell. We explain the new rules in detail and how the flattening of the wings on the straights is regulated in our video:
But such speeds also cause the 26-year-old to worry: “Of course, safety must be improved, because an accident at 360 or 370 – that’s pretty crazy.” The GPDA chairman therefore issued a warning: “When it comes to safety, history has unfortunately shown us that incidents have to happen before changes are made. Everyone has to work really hard in advance of these rules.”
Russell warns: What happens without downforce at well over 300 km/h and when it starts to rain?
He outlined a possible high-risk scenario: “The cars will be so fast and have so little downforce on the straights that it will almost feel like you’re floating, like you’re just flying through the air. You can imagine that in a race where it starts to rain and you’re on slick tires at 250 miles an hour on a street circuit, it’s going to be a bit uncomfortable.”

Russell’s comments are somewhat reminiscent of the oval races in the IndyCar series. Serious accidents are known to occur there time and again. The Briton questions whether Formula 1 should take such a path: “Where should we stop? Will we reach 400 kilometers per hour? Do the fans really need to see that or do they want to see it? What are we actually trying to achieve?”

Trust in the FIA: We will examine all scenarios
For him it is clear that something else should count: “It is not so important to me how fast the cars are on the track. You want good racing, hard racing and strong competition, ideally between every team and every driver.” Some doubt whether this will succeed. But at least as far as safety is concerned, Russell has confidence in those responsible: “To be fair, the FIA is aware of this and is examining all possible scenarios of what could happen.”
In terms of sport, Russell and Mercedes are currently not living up to their own high standards. However, his current team-mate Lewis Hamilton believes that Mercedes will soon be able to get back on the podium: