NASCAR legend weighs in on 'painful' F1 controversy

NASCAR's next-gen cars have come in for plenty of criticism over the last few years, and we might just be about to see the same thing in F1.

Following Lando Norris' maiden title win in 2025, F1 has undergone its biggest regulations overhaul ever during the off-season, 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 power units for 2026 and beyond utilize a combination of ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic). (roughly 50-50 at peak power), as well as sustainable fuels.

Race fans got their first look at the cars in competitive conditions at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this weekend, and it's fair to say that they have underwhelmed. It's all very complex, cars are slowing down on long straights despite being on full throttle (they've even given it a name - superclipping), and one team - Mercedes - utterly dominated in qualifying.

Mark Martin on F1 2026

Following the session in Australia, the entire F1 community has been alive with discussion about the regulations, with suggestions that the new rules are not what the sport should be about.

The Athletic's Jeff Gluck has even compared F1's decision-making to that of NASCAR, posting on social media: "I keep comparing today’s F1 decisions to mid-2000s NASCAR decisions. NASCAR fans know how that went."

In response to that tweet, 40-time Cup Series race and NASCAR great Mark Martin shared his perspective on F1's current state from a fan perspective.

"It’s as painful to watch as a race fan as it must be to drive," he wrote on X.

In a later tweet, Martin stated that the new F1 regulations and cars slowing down on long straights despite being at full throttle made him "proud of the state of NASCAR".

It’s as painful to watch as a race fan as it must be to drive. https://t.co/YzVF6YfZoC
— Mark Martin (@markmartin) March 7, 2026

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F1 champions hate new regulations too

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

Speaking after a crash in qualifying on Saturday, four-time champion Max Verstappen told the media, via Autosport: “It already felt really bad in the simulator, even to the point that I didn’t want to drive it. I've already explained that, and it's just the same now.

“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."