Coulthard expects "a very different profile of racing" from the all-new technical regulation
Speaking ahead of the 2026 F1 season, former McLaren and Red Bull driver David Coulthard admitted that he expects "a very different profile of racing" from the all-new technical regulation. The 13-time F1 race winner sat down with F1Techncal's senior writer Balazs Szabó at Budapest to discuss about the potential impact of the future technical regulation.
Budapest’s Stefánia út transformed into a high‑octane motorsport arena on 20–21 September 2025, as the Red Bull Showrun brought Formula One machinery and star drivers to the heart of the Hungarian capital. Among the headline attractions was British F1 legend David Coulthard, whose return to the cockpit of a Red Bull Racing machine drew thousands of fans to the Puskás Aréna district.
Coulthard, a long‑time ambassador for Red Bull and a familiar face to Hungarian motorsport enthusiasts, piloted the iconic RB7—one of the most successful cars of the V8 era—along the more than 2.5‑kilometre temporary city course.
When speaking to F1Technical's senior writer Balazs Szabo about the potential impact of all-new technical regulations for the 2026 F1 season, Coulthard admitted that he expects "a very different profile of racing" from the all-new cars.
"I think the very fact that there was a conversation with all of the teams about the future of the engine rules was because they had a doubt. So, let's say they... they were going into an era now where there's going to be 50% electrical energy, 50% internal combustion.
"That will have a very different profile of racing. You know, the typical profile of racing is you leave the corner, you go faster and faster. You hit the max and then you brake and you arrive at the corner.
"With this, most probably you're going to accelerate to a speed, there'll be no more electrical energy, and then the car will have more drag than it has horsepower.
Coulthard continued: "So the cars will get, let's say, a profile like that. But if it's the same for everyone, then the race is still racing. You know, I remember being on a sailing boat, and a lot of people might think, "Well, how can it be exciting to race at 10 knots?
"Well, when you've got another boat that's doing nine and a half knots or 10 and a half knots, suddenly you're in a race, and that's where the excitement is.
"So as long as it's all kind of about the same, but the risk, I guess, in any new regulation is that one manufacturer... Like with Mercedes, with the hybrid era, they had such an advantage in the engine that they didn't need the best car to win."
