FIA unveils major rulebook overhaul ahead of F1's 2026 regulation revamp
Yesterday at 02:59 PM
The FIA has confirmed that the Formula 1 rulebook will feature a completely new section starting in 2026, following the World Motor Sport Council’s (WMSC) final meeting of 2024.
The meeting, held on Wednesday in Kigali, Rwanda, preceded the FIA's Prizegiving Gala scheduled for next week. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem chaired the event.
FIA approves changes to F1’s rulebook for 2026
Starting in 2026, the existing F1 rulebooks will be expanded with a new set of regulations.
In addition to the FIA’s International Sporting Code, which governs all its series, the F1 rulebook includes Sporting, Technical, and Financial Regulations.
A new section, the Operational Regulations, will be introduced in conjunction with the major technical revisions for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The WMSC has sanctioned the introduction of these Operational Regulations, which will oversee specific team activities that occur outside race weekends. The purpose of these regulations is to impose limits on team spending and resources, as well as to safeguard staff well-being by enforcing mandatory shutdowns, such as a two-week winter factory closure and a similar break during the summer.
The importance of these shutdowns has grown due to the expansion of the F1 calendar to 24 races in 2024.
"For this initial version of these regulations, certain elements that have historically been included in the Sporting Regulations have been transferred, such as limitations to aerodynamic testing, power unit testing, and mandatory shutdown periods."
In addition, the FIA has begun transitioning its rulebook to gender-neutral terminology, following the lead of F2 and F3. Although there are currently no female drivers in F1, terms like “he/him” have been replaced with the more inclusive “driver.”
Other updates approved for next year include the introduction of “heat hazard” rules, which will require drivers to use cooling equipment in extreme heat conditions.
Financial Regulations for 2025 and 2026 have also been revised, excluding certain activities from the budget cap for sustainability purposes.
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