F1 | The hidden 2026 change that could transform qualifying – and which no one has considered. Mario Isola explains how the 2026 F1 regulations and new power units could change qualifying strategy.

The new Formula 1 regulations are set to introduce sweeping changes, and one of the most overlooked could directly affect qualifying. During pre-season testing in Bahrain, F1inGenerale spoke with Mario Isola, Head of Pirelli Motorsport, to clarify one of the most delicate aspects of the new technical era: energy management in qualifying and its impact on Pirelli tyre preparation.

With the new-generation power units, optimising the balance between the preparation lap and the flying lap becomes significantly more complex. Isola explained how the scenario differs greatly between a long stint and a qualifying attempt. “On a long run with a full fuel load, you might not have the tyre ready straight away. You do a couple of laps and then you can balance it, and essentially you complete your stint without major issues.”

New FIA regulations: tyre preparation changes for qualifying laps

In race conditions or during long runs, teams have time to bring both front and rear tyres into the ideal operating window. In qualifying, however, the picture changes dramatically. “In qualifying you have a single lap where you need to extract all the possible performance. You have to prepare both the front and the rear tyres in the right way.”

The core issue lies in energy management. “You can’t do this using engine energy, because you need it for the push lap. You would need it both for the preparation lap and for the flying lap, but you don’t have it.”

This constraint forces teams and drivers to find a compromise. According to Mario Isola, optimising this phase could alter the traditional approach to qualifying in Formula 1. “In some cases we expect that it could mean one out lap, one preparation lap and then one push lap.”

Not every circuit will present the same scenario, though. “At other tracks where you don’t have this issue of generating energy, like Suzuka or Silverstone with high-speed corners, probably the out lap will be enough to have the tyres ready.”

Isola’s comments highlight how the 2026 revolution will not be limited to engines and aerodynamics. Tyre management in qualifying will also need to adapt to a new energy framework that changes how drivers approach the crucial single lap.

Striking the right balance between tyre preparation and energy deployment will become one of the key performance factors in maximising one-lap pace, particularly at circuits where energy generation is more limited. In the new era of Formula 1, even the smallest detail could make the difference between pole position and the midfield.