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
Just lower the minimum weight and let the car engineers figure out how to get there.
Put less fuel in and bring back refueling. Or battery swapping lol.
Not gonna happen but refueling did make things more interesting.
Refueling was stupid. Just added fires to the pits. Maybe FIA can install flame throwers for bored F1 spectators.
Nah refueling made things more guess work and was dangerous, nothing for the actual racing. It can fuck off
They gonna take out the drivers right. They already put more computer control into the car with the current regs. With the next reg changes they want the computer to control the entire car.
All kidding aside the only realistic way to reduce that much weight is to remove the battery. Everything but the power unit is already carbon fiber.
They already put more computer control into the car with the current regs.
Literally the same as it was for the previous hybrid engines.
These cars are big. If we shrink them they can easy shed the weight, in most places. And then speeds will come down. But also, accidents and reliability may become more erratic. For a season or two until they all catch up. Let’s do that!
A large part of the increase in size comes from stricter safety standards. Like the nose has become so much longer because it also acts as a crumple zone.
It’s all the hybrid green washing bullshit between the driver and the engine. I had someone tell me MGUs in F1 led to hybrid road cars. Then F1 developed a time machine so Toyota could sell a hybrid 17 years before F1 started using them.
All kidding aside the only realistic way to reduce that much weight is to remove the battery.
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 So over 200kg for the sticking to outdated tech but the 35.0kg batteries (§C5.17.9) are definitively the problem.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I think they have to stick to the outdated tech because fully electric rights have been given to formula E until something like 2040.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”.
I think they have to stick to the outdated tech because fully electric rights have been given to formula E until something like 2040.
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).
Formula 1 legally can’t go fully electric.
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.
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.
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.
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.
They are never going to switch to full electric vehicles so the ICE engine stays.
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.
Also in Gen 4 FE cars the battery alone weighs 300+ kg.
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.
They gonna take out the drivers right. They already put more computer control into the car with the current regs. With the next reg changes they want the computer to control the entire car.
Removing the drivers would be amazing. Don’t have to let computers control it, you could have them remote controlled by the drivers.
F1 cars got nerfed a lot in the name of safety. Take out the drivers and this is no longer a concern, back to the days of crazy powerful engines and other neat stuff. Loosen up the rules and see how far they can push it.
Removing the drivers would be amazing. Don’t have to let computers control it, you could have them remote controlled by the drivers
You you want 1:1 scale RC racing.
Yes.
Wasn’t the whole point of F1 to compete on building the best car possible? You can build a faster car when you don’t have to bring a human along. Not just safety w.r.t. accidents but also things like G-forces that a human can withstand.
So watch iRacing. I bet you would watch AI driving cars, and the AI avatars looked like kitty anime characters you could legally marry.
F1 is shit because F1 fans are shit.
