# What the Hell is Going on With Formula 1?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-s-not-the-car-6747786/what-the-hell-is-going-on-with-formula-1
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-s-not-the-car-6747786/what-the-hell-is-going-on-with-formula-1.md
Podcast: [It's Not the Car](https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-s-not-the-car-6747786)
Published: 2026-04-28T15:05:08+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/its-not-the-car/episodes/What-the-Hell-is-Going-on-With-Formula-1-e3ijdhv
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/f02659d0/podcast/play/119174143/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-3-28%2F1256d0c7-b233-6ff3-dc37-8d6839d841ff.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/it-s-not-the-car-6747786/episodes/what-the-hell-is-going-on-with-formula-1
Duration seconds: 3035

## Resource

This is what: Three races into 2026, the FIA is trying to fix what it broke. Because everyone hates it. (Ross goes on a rant in this one! Ross *never* goes on rants!) Here’s a joke: A former IndyCar driver and a former Road & Track editor walk into a bar. When they walk out, they never want to hear the words “megajoule” or “superclipping” again. (Okay, it’s not a joke. Gag me with a kilowatt spoon.) F1 changed much for 2026: new car dimensions and weights; new powerplant configurations; updated aero; narrower tires; some team shake-ups and arrivals. And the racing became obnoxious. Over the last three races, that last bit has been all anyone can talk about. Drivers and teams hate the new order as much as anyone. With that in mind, the FIA executed a rare midseason rule revamp—rule updates effective from this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. These updates won’t fix the series; too much is baked into how the cars have been designed and engineered. But at this point, we’ll take it. *** This episode was produced by Sam Smith. As always, thanks to our friends at BFGoodrich for supporting the show! ** Who We Are + Spicy Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ** Support It’s Not the Car: Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ** Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think! ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ** Check out Sam's book! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ** Where to find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j…

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