"We have no power" — Lewis Hamilton dismisses upcoming FIA summit as "too many chefs in the kitchen"

Lewis Hamilton doubts the impact of the upcoming FIA meeting on 2026 regulations, claiming drivers have no voting rights or influence.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 1:26 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PlanetF1.

The Suzuka Catalyst: Bearman’s 50G Warning

The urgency for the upcoming meeting was sparked by a major safety scare during the Japanese Grand Prix. Haas driver Oliver Bearman suffered a massive 50G impact at the Spoon Curve after closing in on Franco Colapinto with a 50 km/h speed advantage. The "mushroom boost" era—defined by extreme fluctuations in battery power—has created "artificial" racing where cars are significantly faster or slower depending on their energy harvest cycle. Bearman’s crash, which left him with a severely bruised knee, has forced the FIA to admit that "adjustable parameters" in energy management must now be optimized based on real-world data.

Hamilton’s Lack of Faith in F1 Politics

Despite the clear safety risks, Lewis Hamilton told reporters he is "not expecting much" from the summit. Currently struggling with a significant power deficit to the Mercedes-powered teams in his Ferrari, Hamilton attributed his pessimism to the political structure of the sport.

"There’ll be a lot of chefs in the kitchen. It doesn’t usually end up with a good result," Hamilton noted. "The drivers don’t have a say. They don’t have any power. No power—we are not on the committee; we have no voting rights."

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