2026 Formula 1 regulations: further changes approved
10/06/2024 05:11 AM
Things are moving within F1 regarding the 2026 technical regulations, which will come into effect in just over a year. After the teams initially expressed some dissatisfaction when the FIA released the first draft of what the future single-seaters would look like, especially regarding the use of electrical systems in the power units and the introduction of active aerodynamics, which hasn’t convinced everyone, these days of pause before the return to the track in Austin in the second half of October have been used to clarify some points.
It’s not just the technical regulations under scrutiny, but also the sporting and financial ones. But let’s take it step by step to avoid confusion: the F1 Commission met last week, making some changes to the technical and sporting regulations set for 2026. Although the new rules have not yet been made official, some changes are already in place. The meeting, the fourth of this season, was held at the Racing Bulls headquarters in Faenza and was chaired by Nikolas Tombazis.
He is the FIA’s single-seater director, supported by Formula One’s president and CEO, Stefano Domenicali. It was a lengthy meeting that allowed for the discussion of various concerns, including some significant worries raised by several teams regarding the 2026 season’s innovative regulations. Since the regulations were published, the situation has already changed several times thanks to the work of the FIA’s Technical Advisory Committee, formalized during yesterday's F1 Commission.
In particular, after various discussions yesterday, which seem to have been quite constructive according to early reports, it was decided to enhance the aerodynamic performance of the new generation of cars. The official report states the following: "Following discussions with the technical advisory committee and the top-tier teams, modifications have been incorporated into the 2026 technical regulations regarding performance, aerodynamics, and safety."
From what has been learned, it was decided to increase the aerodynamic performance of the 2026 cars thanks to collaboration between the FIA and the teams over recent months. Essentially, after recent meetings of the technical advisory committee and discussions with the teams, significant changes were made to the 2026 technical regulations. These changes, which concern performance, aerodynamics, and safety, have been included in the latest version of the rules.
F1, 2026: not just technical regulations
The heads of the FIA and Formula One did not just discuss the technical regulations. In fact, the meeting led to an agreement on the pre-season testing schedule, which includes a total of nine testing days before the season begins. The schedule will consist of three sessions of three days each, to best address the challenges posed by the new power unit regulations. "The 2026 sporting regulations," the report reads, "have been thoroughly revised to simplify their structure. Pre-season testing will include three sessions of three days each, given the challenges posed by the new engines."
In addition to technical and sporting matters, important financial details were also provided regarding Formula One’s new era. "The 2026 financial regulations will represent an evolution of the current framework, with the aim of ensuring a competitive balance between sporting fairness and economic sustainability." These updates will be presented at the next World Motor Sport Council meeting on October 17.
This meeting was absolutely necessary after the confusion that arose in June following the release of the draft technical regulations by the FIA, which raised concerns among F1 team leaders, who immediately pointed out to the International Federation that some changes needed to be made before making the new generation of cars official.
In conclusion, the well-known rookie weekend for young drivers, using current cars during the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi, was also discussed. The concept was well-received, but for timing and organizational reasons, it will not take place this year, with plans to postpone it until 2025. Objectively, this is a missed opportunity for drivers like Kimi Antonelli or Jack Doohan, who would have benefited from participating in such an event, driving modern cars and getting a real feel for a race weekend.
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