How F1’s 2026 engines cause accidental overtakes

There is a worst-case scenario with Formula 1’s complicated rules that can leave drivers at the “mercy” of their engines completing accidental overtakes or finding it “basically impossible” to use their battery to pass properly.While F1’s 2026 cars and engines have increased the frequency of overtakes, the nature of the racing – and its authenticity – has been a huge topic of debate between drivers, in the F1 paddock, and among fans.So-called yo-yo racing has been a feature of all three grands prix at some stage as swings in battery level and MGU-K usage lead to drivers trading where they drive past one another on straights.In the most recent grand prix in Japan, an often stagnant race was mainly broken up by drivers briefly overtaking the car ahead into the final chicane …