Johnny Herbert notices "guys at the front happier with 2026 Formula 1 cars" and predicts "brilliant Monaco"

The former Formula 1 driver believes the new generation is close to delivering what drivers and fans want, despite early-season frustration around battery harvesting, deployment limitations, and the now-familiar straight-line lift and coast phases seen in China and Japan.

Herbert told Vision4Sport: “There has been a lot of criticism of the new cars this season and I think in many respects rightly so but I think they're not far off where they need to be from a driver's perspective because the drivers don't want the recharging of the battery to slow them down, down the straight.

“I know there's a lot of talk of trying to make the deployment a little bit softer so they can actually keep accelerating down the straight, so I think it's only a little bit of fettling, which I think will make it better for us watching too,” Herbert explained.

The 2026 F1 regulations, built around a near 50/50 split between electric and combustion power, have created a new dynamic where drivers are forced into aggressive energy harvesting, often at the expense of racing quality.

As seen in previous reports, this has led to widespread criticism from drivers, including Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso, all pointing to the unnatural feel of managing battery state rather than purely racing.

Herbert pointed to Monaco as a circuit where the balance of the new formula could still deliver the spectacle expected from Formula 1’s most iconic venue: “One place where you need to have that ability to have the car feeling alive is Monaco.

"That is where the drivers really get a massive thrill out of it and these Formula 1 cars are so close to getting the perfect balance from the electrification with the 50-50 split to the combustion engine and then the drivers will be happy at the same time.

“But I think, as Hamilton has already said, he enjoys these cars, and he thinks you can have a really fun time racing each other during the races. It's Max Verstappen who is obviously a little bit more frustrated, and Norris has mentioned it. Alonso, too," added the Briton

Mercedes have dominated the first two races with Kimi Antonelli bagging to GP victories on the trot in China in Japan, after George Russell won the season opener in Melbourne. Ferrari are closest as their podium finishes suggest, while McLaren seem to be rising from an early season slumber.

Herbert noted: “The guys at the front seem to be happier with the way the cars are performing rather than those who are struggling that little bit more or are off the pace. I think there's a good chance that you could have one hell of a lot of overtaking, even at Monaco, which would be a brilliant spectacle," Herbert predicted.

The three-time Grand Prix winner is not alone among pundits in suggesting how well the new Formula 1 cars are destined to race on the streets of Monte-Carlo. Even if it is the case, one successful race does not make for a Championship.