Peter Windsor thinks F1 could be in for ‘rude awakening’ with 2026 rules after ‘very scary’ Jack Doohan crash

Formula 1 will adopt new rules in 2026, but a recent crash from Jack Doohan might make raise some eyebrows.

Doohan crashed at high speed during practice for the Japanese Grand Prix when he mistakenly kept his DRS activated heading into the first corner.

Usually the DRS system shuts off automatically, but because of the flat-out nature of Turn 1 at Suzuka, Doohan kept it engaged without pressing the button manually.

It was a scary accident and one that cost Alpine a repair bill exceeding £1.3 million in crash damage, having left the track and impacted the barriers at 185mph.

The crash was a wake-up call for Doohan who is currently fighting to keep his seat at Alpine, but Peter Windsor thinks it will serve as another important reminder for F1 bosses for the 2026 regulations when speaking on his YouTube livestream.

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Peter Windsor warns F1 bosses of ‘rude awakening’ after Jack Doohan crash at Suzuka

F1 will adopt new chassis rules for 2026 that includes axing DRS for the first time since its introduction 15 years ago.

Instead the cars will have a movable front and rear wing, enabling drivers to switch between an ‘X-Mode’ for low-drag and ‘Z-Mode’ for greater cornering speeds.

Drivers will activate the system manually, but Windsor has raised questions over the suitability of the system after witnessing Doohan’s high speed crash at Suzuka.

“We had a rude awakening with the downside of DRS with the Jack Doohan shunt,” said Windsor.

“That’s something we should be taking very seriously into 2026 and what we’re planning to do with front and rear wings, and making sure there is no issue with the two parts of the car. Believe me, if there is some sort of hydraulic glitch, then we could be in for a very scary time.”

FIA to discuss 2026 rules adjustment over team concerns

At a recent F1 Commission meeting, the FIA confirmed that talks are currently in place between teams and the governing body over adjustments to the 2026 rules.

This is due to concerns about the power unit and its impact on car performance and overtaking, with the emphasis on the 50/50 split between combustion and electrical power.

Drivers could be forced to ‘lift and coast’ on the straights, which is why Red Bull has asked to reduce the electrical aspect of F1’s 2026 engines to only 40% or 30%.

The FIA does not want power units to become a ‘performance differentiator’ like they were in 2014, when Mercedes emerged with an engine that was unbeatable for several seasons.

Discussions are also underway about the possibility of allowing power unit manufacturers to catch up if there is a significant performance deficit, largely to prevent another scenario like Renault whose engine was consistently down on power.