Formula 1 algorithms cause driver anger as numbers reduce the excitement of Spa-Francorchamps

Another race has finished on a historic circuit, Spa-Francorchamps, but the drivers felt it was less exciting. Because of this, their quiet, unhappy feelings continue to grow. After the Belgian Grand Prix, many drivers felt they just wanted to get away from the circuit and the numbers that control their cars.

George Russell was a key figure in Belgium. The Mercedes driver's chances in the championship were badly hurt when, for reasons he and his team could not understand, his engine did not regain energy in the first corner. This meant he had no electrical power to use. He was quickly passed by the Ferraris. Lewis Hamilton then hit him, sending him out of the race.

Russell was very angry, which is understandable. He was not angry with Hamilton, but because the energy problem meant he was even racing Hamilton at that point. He told his team over the radio that he had no battery power on the straight, calling the situation unacceptable.

Mercedes is investigating the problem. However, Russell's anger shows only a small part of the problems caused by this year's rules, which were once again clear at Spa. It was not a surprise, as drivers had predicted these issues before the race.

With two long straight sections and few places to recover energy, the cars had very little power. This meant the middle part of the track used only the petrol engine, reducing the cars' potential power by half. The cars were so slow that corners like Pouhon, which normally tests how much risk a driver can take, were now easy to drive through quickly.

Drivers used the cornering speed of a lower racing series but with Formula 1's downforce, which made one of Formula 1's great challenges much less difficult. Lando Norris said it was no longer a challenging corner and was easy to drive through at full speed.

The winner, Kimi Antonelli, had a pole position time almost four seconds slower than the previous year. Although Formula 1 is happy that the races are exciting, the drivers are still complaining about the actual experience of driving.

Russell's experience at Spa showed another problem that affects drivers deeply: they also feel their abilities are being limited. The computer-controlled use of electrical energy is now a very important part of the sport. It has become Formula 1's most complex and least interesting skill, even more so than managing tyres, which used to be very important. It makes you wonder if tyres used to be a factor instead of a computer program.

These computer programs are now essential, deciding when and how much energy to use during a lap. Drivers are, to some extent, controlled by them. It seems they do not want a computer making decisions for their cars.

When asked about the importance of these computer programs and energy use at Spa, Max Verstappen gave a very honest answer. He said it was the reality of Formula 1 in 2026 and sometimes it feels like a jungle.

Verstappen has been open about his dislike for how much energy management affects the race. At Spa, it was very clear that many other drivers felt the same way. Oscar Piastri from McLaren, who is usually fair and balanced, was also having trouble with his engine's energy deployment, losing him time. He said he had lost all patience with the computer systems controlling Formula 1.

Piastri said it was bad and he couldn't say it any other way. He mentioned that George Russell had many problems with it recently, and speaking to others, it was a similar situation. He added that it's not a good way to race when qualifying results are decided by computers that sometimes work and sometimes don't.

The complaints did not stop there. Antonelli also made a strong point. He said that sometimes, especially on tracks like Spa that require a lot of energy, if drivers try to change their style, the system can become confused or difficult to manage.

No one wants a confusing system, especially when sudden changes in speed can be very dangerous. This was shown on the opening lap when cars suddenly came very close together on the Kemmel straight and entered Les Combes.

Charles Leclerc, who finished second, was part of that situation and was catching Verstappen quickly. He said that these power units are so complicated that some days they cannot understand why they are losing so much speed on the straights. He finds it very difficult and frustrating because even when they are doing their best, things in the background are constantly changing, which is not good.

This situation continues. It does not look good for the sport, but it is unlikely to change this season. It will continue to be a problem. Based on the reactions at Spa, the sport should prepare for a lot more complaints when they race at Monza.