NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick slams F1 2026 regulations - "Looked like Mario Kart"

NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick has compared F1 to Mario Kart in a brutal assessment of the sport's new regulations.

The new F1 season kicked off in Melbourne this past weekend at the Australian Grand Prix, and it's fair to say that there has been a fair bit of criticism for the sport and its new cars.

The NASCAR world knows all too well how the introduction of a new rule set (Yes next-gen car, we're looking at you) can change the racing action for the worse, and it seems like F1 has taken note.

Heading into the new season, the sport has undergone its biggest regulations overhaul ever, with a major revamp in terms of aerodynamics and engines.

While NASCAR's Cup Series cars are powered by 5.86-liter naturally-aspirated V8 engines, F1's new power units utilize a combination of ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic), as well as sustainable fuels.

No one is doubting the greatness of the technology, but it is all very complicated, even to the point that some drivers are still adapting to what's going on. Worst of all, though, the cars are slowing down towards the end of long straights despite being on full throttle (and they've even given it a name - superclipping).

NASCAR TODAY: Kyle Larson in explicit verdict, Cup star hit with 0.08mph speeding penalty

Kevin Harvick on F1 2026 regulations

While some enjoyed the frantic start in Melbourne, which, in fairness, did produce some excitement, others have slammed it as 'artificial' racing.

Now, Harvick has weighed in, calling it the most awkward racing he has ever seen and even compared it to the famous Nintendo video game.

“It was odd from from just a casual fan standpoint,” Harvick explained on the Speed with Harvick and Buxton podcast.

“I follow Formula 1 and have followed Formula 1 for a number of years, and it all started right at the start. I think when you when you look at the start of the race, you had some cars that took off, some cars that didn't take off, and that's [because] of how the turbo spins up and who's able to get going, and then lifting down the straightaway, just a lot of things that seem awkward.

“I think when you get away from having an engine, tires, good drivers, and good teams to be able to make their cars performance, it seems so over-engineered to me that nobody understands how to even make the car function correctly. And you've got this wide variety of people and teams that think that this is the best way to do it, and that's the best way to do it."

Harvick: F1 looked like Mario Kart

The 2014 Cup Series champion continued: “So, it was one of the most awkward races that I've ever watched, and when you see a start like that, that has so many cars that are at different speeds, and I heard one of the drivers refer to it as Mario Kart, that's kind of what it looked like. It kind of looked like Mario Kart.

“When I turn on an F1 race, I want to see who's got the fastest car, who can go down the straightaway the fastest, through the corners the fastest, who could make the fastest pit stop, and the best calls.

“It mixed the field up, but it was awkward.”

F1 champions hate new regulations too

It isn't just Harvick; F1 drivers hate these new regulations, too.

Speaking after a crash in qualifying on Saturday, four-time champion Max Verstappen told the media: “I'm not enjoying it at all. Like I said, it also doesn't matter to me where I qualify.

"Whether it would have been at the front or where I am now, emotionally and in terms of feeling, it's empty.”

Meanwhile, reigning champion Norris also shared his verdict in the media pen: "We've come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1 and the nicest to drive to probably the worst."