After the Hungarian GP, the F1 Commission held an important meeting, where significant decisions for the short and long-term future of the series were made.
This key meeting addressed topics that had been fertile ground for discussion in recent months, starting with the 2026 regulations. The new cars will have a new identity, abandoning the ground effect known during this technical cycle, aiming to reduce the downforce generated by the diffuser and the underbody, with the latter returning to being almost entirely flat. Additionally, the Power Units will change, emphasizing the hybrid aspect, with a 50% split between the electric and thermal parts.
However, concerns quickly arose about some of the ideas to be implemented under this new regulation, which did not entirely convince the teams, who immediately expressed their dissatisfaction. These concerns were discussed in today’s F1 Commission meeting, which addressed the situation with the Federation following the first draft released in early June.
From what emerged from the F1 Commission meeting held on Tuesday, following further discussions with the Technical and Sporting Advisory Committees, it was decided that the 2026 rules will arrive in a new form later this season and will be presented at the next World Motor Sport Council on October 17. Additionally, due to the delicacy of the topic, there will be an extraordinary meeting of the F1 Commission on October 2 to discuss the 2026 regulations.
“Following further discussions during the upcoming technical committees and the Technical and Sporting Advisory Committee, an update on the 2026 Regulations, regarding the sporting and technical regulations, will be presented to the World Motor Sport Council on October 17. An extraordinary meeting of the F1 Commission will be held on October 2 to discuss issues related to 2026,” the statement reads.
However, these are not the only updates established in today’s F1 Commission. Always with an eye towards 2026, it was confirmed that pre-season testing will include nine days of testing, divided into three different test sessions, to give teams the opportunity to better understand the operation of the new cars given the major technical revolution.
The scoring system does not change
Regarding the immediate future, after discussions in recent months, the F1 Commission decided that there will be no changes to the system by which points are awarded to drivers on the grid. In the early months of the season, there had been talk of extending the points zone to twelfth place, given that at that stage of the championship the top five teams consistently occupied the highest part of the grid, leaving little room for the other five teams.
However, during the May meeting of the F1 Commission, the teams did not reach a consensus, deeming it necessary to have further discussions, especially as the idea emerged to extend the points zone not to the twelfth place, but to the entire grid, so that all drivers would compete for a result valid for the standings.
After further discussions, today the F1 Commission decided not to alter the scoring system, which will remain unchanged: points will continue to be awarded in the same way up to tenth place.
Minimum weight increases by 2kg
One of the proposals made in recent months concerned the minimum weight of drivers. According to the FIA, the 80 kg, while being a step forward, still did not represent a fair solution for everyone, especially for taller drivers.
To ensure the safety of all drivers, who will not have to follow strict diets as in the case of Esteban Ocon, one of the most penalized due to his height, the Federation decided to increase the minimum driver weight from 80 to 82 kg. For those drivers who remain below that threshold, as has been the practice for some years now, ballast will be added to the seat to reach the quota set by the governing body.
Consequently, the minimum mass of the cars without fuel will rise from 798 to 800 kg for 2025.
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