Formula 1 News: FIA Confident in Manufacturer Collaboration for 2026 Power Unit Regulations Tweaks
Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, expressed confidence that Formula 1 power unit manufacturers will collaborate effectively to make necessary changes to the 2026 power unit regulations. This comes after concerns were raised by McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella regarding the draft chassis and aero regulations announced last week.
The 2026 power unit regulations, defined in 2021, focus on increased hybridization and a 50/50 power split between internal combustion and electrification. Stella argued that the power unit regulations need to be re-examined, stating that “from a power unit point of view, likewise from a chassis point of view, it’s time that all parties understand that they need to contribute to the success of the sport.”
In response, Tombazis acknowledged that any tweaks to the power unit regulations would require collaboration with manufacturers, but expressed faith in their willingness to work together. “Well, there’s a slight different position in terms of governance in the power unit because we are already under governance agreement in relation to the power unit regulations, which means that any tweaks that may be necessary will still need to be agreed with the power unit manufacturers and cannot be done, let’s say, unilaterally,” Tombazis explained. “But because there’s, generally speaking, a very good spirit of collaboration, if there are some tweaks needed, I’m quite confident the PU manufacturers would help and be collaborative here.”
The draft aero regulations feature movable aerodynamics on the front and rear wings of the cars to enable a low-drag configuration down the straights, thus relieving some of the pressure on the hybrid power units. However, Stella believes that the way the power units are planned to be used needs to be adjusted, emphasizing the need to achieve a 50-50 concept without putting excessive requirements on the chassis side.
The two-year gap between the engine regulations being written and the draft aerodynamic regulations has raised concerns about the disparity between the two. Tombazis acknowledged the benefit of hindsight, stating, “I think there’s very few things in my life I would have not changed in one way or another if I had more time.” However, he doesn’t believe that the outcome would have been drastically different, citing the increased participation of power unit manufacturers as a positive development.
“I think there’s very few things in my life I would have not changed in one way or another if I had more time.” – Nikolas Tombazis, FIA’s single-seater director
Stay tuned for more Formula 1 news and updates on the 2026 power unit regulations.
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