Give drivers a seat at the table when discussing F1's rules - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton says drivers should have “a seat at the table” when it comes to decisions on regulations within Formula 1, amid dissent against the 2026 rules.

This weekend’s Miami Grand Prix will bring changes designed to increase how much of a qualifying lap drivers can drive flat-out, and reduce the amount of time needed harvesting energy for the battery. Although there was driver input as a result of feedback via the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), Hamilton believes they should have direct involvement in meetings and planning of rules.

“Well, all the drivers we do work together, we all meet, but the fact is we don't have a seat at the table,” Hamilton said. “We do engage with the FIA and F1, F1's more often a little bit more responsive, but being that we're not stakeholders, we don't have a seat at the table currently, which I think needs to change.

“All I say to them, when I was doing the Pirelli test, I was like, ‘You guys should come and speak to us and collaborate with us, we don't want to be slagging off their Pirelli tires, we know you can build a good product,’ but their feedback will be coming from people who've never driven the car before. So we're like: ‘Speak to us, we'll work, we'll go hand in hand, we can work together to approach the FIA so we can get a better product’.

“And the same with F1, we're here to work with you, we don't want to be slating our sport, we want this sport to succeed, and so we need to be working together. But it's like a broken record, you keep doing it, and it's like small baby steps each time. But I have no doubt that [we’re all together].”

As it stands the widest official level of discussion occurs in the F1 Commission – featuring teams, the FIA, Formula 1 and key stakeholders such as power unit suppliers – where drivers are not directly involved. That group ratified the latest changes that is intended to improve the qualifying spectacle as well as reduce closing speeds, but Hamilton believes further adjustments will be required.

“I imagine they will continue to improve them through the year," Hamilton said. "We'll find out this weekend whether that change that they've made... It's good to see that they are making changes. Whether or not it's enough or not, we will see this weekend.

“I drove on the sim and they don’t really feel much different, so it will be interesting to see how that impacts us when we're on track, and when we're qualifying.”