Ahead of the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Aston Martin driver **Lance Stroll joked that if Mercedes and George Russell are so strong that Russell ends up winning a race by 30 seconds, then he probably wouldn’t complain about some of the odd new rules in F1 anymore. Stroll made the comment while talking about how unusual the new power and energy management regulations feel for drivers still getting used to them.
Stroll said he’s only done a few laps so far under the new setup, so he hasn’t fully experienced the changes yet, but he used the example of a big margin of victory to humorously suggest that even Russell might change his mind about the new rules if he dominates like that early in the season.
In general, Stroll also expressed that he’s not a big fan of the direction modern F1 has taken with heavy focus on energy management and tyres, and he thinks many drivers miss the days of lighter cars and more direct racing — though how the season unfolds will show how much the sport has changed.