Criticism of the power units has overshadowed everything, but Nikolas Tombazis believes the 2026 chassis rules are a step forward. The FIA is targeting further weight reduction under F1’s next regulations
Criticism of the power units has overshadowed everything, but Nikolas Tombazis believes the 2026 chassis rules are a step forward. The FIA is targeting further weight reduction under F1’s next regulations
The ICE weighs no less than 132kg (“ICE must be no less than 132.0kg” – §C5.5.1© of the technical regulations) and a full fuel tank is currently 70kg. So over 200kg for the sticking to outdated tech but the 35.0kg batteries (§C5.17.9) are definitively the problem.
Fossil fuel desinformation campaign worked wondrfully.
I think they have to stick to the outdated tech because fully electric rights have been given to formula E until something like 2040. Formula 1 legally can’t go fully electric.
Just merge the two series. Formula E isn’t making money. But F1 fanboys want noise and “soul”.
And why is that? Right, because MBS wanted to do his oil sheikh friends a huge favor and tie F1 to fossil fuels with some “sustainable” greenwashing (which still emits CO2).
Nah, there are always ways around that. For example, to get rid of PU specifics and let the teams choose their own tech path. (“F1 isn’t fully electric by regulations, some teams just happen to go down that path.”)
Another alternative would be to prescribe a fly wheel (can be a small one), so the propulsion would be a hybrid of electric and kinetic energy store.
My personal pick would be to get rid of most regulations that are not directly tied to safety and let teams figure out what works best for them.
Williams tried that. You really want a 340 kmhr car with a flywheel spinning at 2 million xg?
I don’t want it, I proposed one way to get around the exclusivity agreement with FE.
The rights were given to formula E back in 2014, MBS simply extended it in 2025. You could argue the extension was for too long of a period but even with a “fairer” extension it would’ve still been extended to 2035.
And I’m pretty sure loosening the regs to “allow electric engine” won’t work because FIA sets F1 regs and FIA has also given electric rights to Formula E. It’s the same governing body so it knows F1 cars can’t be electric meaning if FIA did get rid of the PU rules Formula E sues the FIA. In fact if there’s even a whiff of F1 going fully electric Formula E will start to complain because that’s their only appeal.
Then put in a fly wheel and bam, not fully electric.
Meanwhile Formula E gen 4 is four-wheel drive, over 860hp.
If gen 5 can secure solid state batteries, they will overtake F1 and their bullshit.
Unless there is a major shift in approach, there will not be a development war in physical components. FE focuses on financial sustainability, so teams can participate at a fraction of the cost of F1.
IMO F1 can be a tech development battle ground with the budgets available there by getting rid of a good chunk of rules in the technical regulations.
Get real, F1 has been a spec series for a decade. If they got rid of the rules one wealthy team would win every race and idiots would still watch it. See McLaren in the Senna Prost years.
But no team could afford relaxing technical rules.
The cost cap should stay, IMO. Just relax the technical regulations.
They are never going to switch to full electric vehicles so the ICE engine stays. Unless they stop racing under FIA. Since FormulaE holds the exclusive license for open wheel EV racing. Also in Gen 4 FE cars the battery alone weighs 300+ kg.
As I’ve explained in another comment, the FIA could get rid of prescribing the PU and let teams come up with whatever tech they want. Teams with financial ties to oil states will absolutely stay with ICE, so that F1 wouldn’t be fully electric in the first place.
I know but the rear and front axle motors are much lighter than F1’s ICE. Also, FE is mostly a spec series. Battery spec was chosen with affordability in mind. They don’t use the latest tech and they don’t use battery swapping (that would mean teams have to buy more batteries).
Even a theoretical fully electric F1 would still be very different from FE, just like F1 is very different from WEC hypercars, even though nominally both are hybrid.