{"id":96136,"date":"2025-08-25T15:17:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/96136\/"},"modified":"2025-08-25T15:17:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:17:08","slug":"fia-keen-to-avoid-overburdening-f1-drivers-with-2026-regulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/96136\/","title":{"rendered":"FIA keen to avoid ‘overburdening’ F1 drivers with 2026 regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"

The FIA<\/a>\u2018s Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis has said Formula 1<\/a>\u2018s upcoming regulation changes are not designed to \u201coverburden\u201d drivers.<\/p>\n

2026 will see some of the most radical technical regulation changes in F1\u2019s history, and the topic has already drawn contrasting opinions across the board.<\/p>\n

Further electrification and aerodynamic changes will see a contrast from current machines, leading to a change in how drivers will tackle the cars.<\/p>\n

Regardless of personal opinion, F1 drivers have indicated that there will be a significant challenge from the new cars, with further onus on their skill than the car.<\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 Alex Albon has discussed the complexities of the 2026 cars, and said that the most intelligent drivers will be able to \u201cabuse the system\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

His Team Principal James Vowles has also been vocal in his assertion that drivers are going to experience a \u201cvery difficult\u201d<\/a> workload behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

Tombazis, in an interview with Autosport, appeared to attempt to quell any potential worry from the drivers, a reiteration of previous comments the Greek has given.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut firstly, Albon and other drivers haven\u2019t driven the final rules yet, by definition, because they\u2019re not done yet,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cSecondly, for sure if you don\u2019t automate certain parts, there will be an increased burden on the drivers. That is true.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tombazis added that this is an area of the regulations that the sport\u2019s governing body<\/a> is currently still trying to determine with definition.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of the work that still needs to be done between now and the start of next season is to determine how much of that stuff will be in the background, let\u2019s say more automatic, versus how much the driver will have to control.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NikolasNikolas Tombazis, the FIA Single-Seater Director, is keen to avoid the 2026 F1 cars being too complex for drivers<\/p>\n

Tombazis keen to avoid an unnecessary F1 \u2018chess game\u2019<\/p>\n

One of F1\u2019s big changes is the removal of DRS, to be replaced by a system that resembles IndyCar\u2019s \u2018push to pass\u2019 button.<\/p>\n

The additional removal of some of the intricacies that aids the drivers is seen, from Tombazis\u2019 perspective at least, a return to drivers having more \u201ccontrol\u201d than before.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want to overburden the driver with something,\u201d he said. \u201cBut at the same time there has to be a degree of freedom, to make sure that he can attack, defend and have some of that stuff under his control. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut there will for sure be some part of it which will be managed transparently to him, so he doesn\u2019t have to think about it when cornering or something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another huge aspect of the 2026 cars will be the constant energy conservation that will have to be at the forefront of the drivers\u2019 minds all of the time.<\/p>\n

Tombazis was keen to stress that he would like to see a somewhat happy medium between it playing a key part of a driver\u2019s race, but not that it takes away the organic nature of the racing itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a balance to strike between driving like a chess game of energy management, which we don\u2019t want as one extreme, and then the other extreme where driving is just a steering wheel, a throttle pedal and a brake pedal,\u201d he said, adding: \u201cWe need to find a good way in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the topic of Albon\u2019s previous statement of abusing the system, Tombazis believes that current F1 is already placed in such a way that drivers with the most intelligence will rise to the top.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think smart drivers already prevail,\u201d he said. \u201cThe difference in performance that we see nowadays in F1 includes a percentage of that,\u201d he added, citing his times spent as an aerodynamicist with Michael Schumacher at both Benetton and Ferrari.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s not only now, the mental bandwidth of drivers has been a factor for the last 20 years already \u2013 also in the younger days of my career, when I was working with Schumacher for example.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, obviously he was phenomenally talented, but a big part of what set him apart was that he could also think of all these other things during a race.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that amongst the current drivers there are some who seem to have a bit extra to think about other things as well, while some others have to use all their CPU to drive the car.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NikolasNikolas Tombazis is hopeful of there being a balance for drivers to take more control but without the difficulties<\/p>\n

F1 drivers will need \u2018understanding of the parameters\u2019 of 2026 cars<\/p>\n

Tombazis is trusting of the drivers\u2019 mental capacity to deal with the challenges ahead, stating they \u201chave quite a high bandwidth of intellect. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey can deal with certain problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tombazis concluded that whilst there will be a new level of skills they will need to hone and develop, the 2026 cars will still show the wheat from the chaff by little more than the basic requirements of an F1 driver.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a level of understanding they need to have of these parameters,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe think that\u2019s part of what a top driver has to do. It\u2019s not, however, and we will make sure it isn\u2019t, the main skill.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main skill is still to be able to brake at the right point, to go fast around the corner, to find the limit, select the right lines, etc. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat will still be the main parameter that controls who\u2019s good and who\u2019s bad. I wouldn\u2019t be able to drive the car!\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE \u2013 How Aston Martin is preparing for the challenge of F1 2026
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