What F1 could do to fix ‘silly’ qualifying lap losses

Charles Leclerc thinks Formula 1’s complex rules are “a little bit silly” in the way that qualifying laps can be derailed by a badly timed throttle lift – with the FIA and F1 weighing up several potential solutions. The Ferrari driver delivered a perfect case study at the Chinese Grand Prix for how complicated the new F1 2026 energy management regulations are, and how they’re delivering strange outcomes in qualifying.As revealed by The Race, Leclerc had a strong final effort in sprint qualifying wrecked by losing energy on the back straight that cost him around four tenths.It was later discovered that this was a consequence of engine algorithms having deployed too much power earlier in the lap, all because of a throttle lift he had made during the correction of a slide.In coming off the accelerator pedal, he h …