Formula 1 Teams Express Concerns Over 2026 Regulations, Performance Issues
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has unveiled its outline plans for the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, along with images of what the next-generation challengers could look like. However, teams have raised concerns about the details of the proposed regulations, particularly regarding the performance of the cars.
In a semi-regular meeting with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, team bosses plan to discuss their concerns about the 2026 rules. One of the major talking points is the potential slowness of the cars, with simulations suggesting they could be several seconds slower than the current F1 cars and barely faster than Formula 2 unless tweaks are made.
“At the moment, for the way cars are in the draft version of the regulations…the cars are not fast enough in the corners and too fast on the straights.” – Andrea Stella, McLaren’s Racing Director
Williams team boss James Vowles echoed Stella’s concerns, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Formula 1’s status as the fastest single-seater category in the world.
“It’s imperative that we are still the leading series in motorsport… we need to make sure that we’re maintaining performance and the speed we have,” Vowles said.
The draft regulations aim to reduce downforce by 30% and drag by 55%, which could result in slower lap times. However, Vowles believes that with further work, a better solution can be achieved.
“Fundamentally, the performance difference between an F2 car could be as small as a few seconds, and that’s starting to get a little bit tight… I’m confident we’ll get to a better solution in that regard.”
Stella reiterated McLaren’s support for the objectives of the new rules, but stressed that improvements are needed from the draft proposals.
“We support the intent of the objectives at a high level… However, if we look at the regulations in the draft form that has been circulated, they are still far from being able to achieve those agreeable objectives and intent.”
The 2026 Formula 1 regulations aim to improve the sport’s sustainability and competitiveness, but teams are keen to ensure that the performance of the cars is not compromised. As the development process continues, it’s clear that finding the right balance between speed, sustainability, and competitiveness will be crucial.
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