A series of mid-season changes have been rushed through ahead of the Miami round following early-season criticism of the 2026 regulations, particularly around energy management and safety.
The FIA confirmed adjustments after discussions with teams and stakeholders during the April break, prompted in part by incidents including Oliver Bearman’s heavy crash at Suzuka and broader concerns over “yo-yo” racing and high closing speeds.
But Coulthard said he believed the Miami street circuit will not provide a clear read on whether the changes have achieved their intended effect.
“What’s going to be interesting to see is, and I think in Miami, we won’t necessarily see the results of these changes because of the nature of the race track there,” he said on the Up To Speed podcast.
“A lot of slow and medium speed corners. There isn’t really anything big and meaty, an iconic section of corners where you go, ‘Wow, I really saw the driver or the car do something special.’
“So, I think we have to give it a few races.”
Among the key revisions are limits to energy harvesting in qualifying to encourage more flat-out driving, an increase in recharge rates to reduce lift-and-coast, and a cap on boost power to manage closing speeds between cars.
Race start procedures have also been addressed with new safety systems designed to prevent dangerously slow getaways, while wet-weather tweaks aim to improve visibility and control.
Despite the uncertainty around immediate impact, Coulthard is confident the changes will ultimately influence racing, even if that comes at the cost of raw overtaking numbers.
“But I do think it will make a difference. There’s no question about it,” he said.
“It may reduce some of the on-track overtakes that some people have got excited about, but is a reduction in power when someone else has got the boost available because they were in the right place on the track at the point that they picked up that trigger that enabled them to have the boost, is that really an overtake?
“It’s a power surge, isn’t it? It’s an increase in power.”
Coulthard said he expected a shift back towards more traditional racecraft, with drivers needing to rely on positioning and slipstream rather than pure electrical deployment advantages.
“So, I think we may see less of those on-track overtakes, but they’ll be more meaningful,” he added.
“It’ll be more about the driver positioning the car, trying to pick up that slipstream.
“Yes, you’re still going to have an element of boost, but that’s effectively what DRS was in previous years as well.
“So, I’m optimistic.”
The Miami Grand Prix begins on Friday with an extended 90-minute practice to help teams adapt to the new changes.
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