Martin Brundle says Silverstone & Spa confirmed we need major Formula 1 power unit philosophy change much sooner than later

Drivers were vocal about how the 2026 Formula 1 cars with their underwhelming power units failed the test of two classic tracks—Silverstone and Spa.

Brundle, in his post-Belgian Grand Prix column on Sky Sports F1, reflected on the race that was won by Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and touched on the charging/deployment nonsense that decided how the drivers had to handle their cars.

He tried to start on a positive, referring to the new chassis with less downforce, making them a challenge for the drivers "when" they have full power at their disposal.

Brundle wrote: "It was enjoyable to watch the drivers jockey an excess of power over grip through medium-speed chicane exits."

But that is where it all ended, as the Briton had to go back to the ugly reality; he added: "But like Silverstone, there was a hidden story alongside the trackside 'wow', and the drivers were very restrained through the event not to complain too much about it."

Anyhow, moving on, Brundle continued: "We long ago lost Eau Rouge and Raidillon as corners to refined high-downforce cars with grippy tyres and a manicured racetrack, meaning from the turn one La Source hairpin to the long haul up to the turn five Les Combes chicane is effectively a straight.

"But with the need to charge the hybrid batteries on this fast track, the longest on the calendar, just as with Copse, Becketts, and Stowe at Silverstone, as the engine is used to charge those batteries, the arrival speeds into corners like Pouhon at Spa are dulled such that the corner effectively becomes a bendy straight too," he explained.

Fernando Alonso recently pointed out that drivers no longer made a difference, and Brundle echoed those sentiments. He wrote: "On such circuits we have lost the driver-defining and thrilling high-speed corners. It was the same in Suzuka."

The FIA and Formula One Management have agreed on changes for 2027 and 2028, which will shift the balance of the power output more towards the internal combustion engine.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is pushing for V8s for the next cycle of Formula 1 regulations.

Brundle believes change, serious change, should come as fast as possible; he commented: "We have known for a while about these issues, and they are being addressed where possible for 2027 and again in 2028.

"But the last two races have unequivocally confirmed that we need a major power unit philosophy change much sooner than later.

"There were always going to be teething problems reliability-wise, but as we hurtle towards the summer break, the words 'deployment issues' and 'no battery' are rather too prominent," the veteran of 158 Grands Prix concluded.