The FIA anticipated many of the problems now affecting the 2026 F1 regulations but was unable to introduce its preferred solutions because of opposition from power-unit manufacturers, according to Nikolas Tombazis.
Concerns over the new rules intensified after the Belgian Grand Prix, where cars running short of electrical energy at Spa-Francorchamps prompted criticism from several drivers. Tombazis has acknowledged those complaints but rejected the suggestion that the governing body failed to recognise the risks before the season began.
As reported by The Race website, the FIA single-seater director maintained that many of the issues highlighted by drivers had already been identified during 2022 and 2023. Efforts to amend the regulations were nevertheless unsuccessful under Formula 1’s governance process, which gave the manufacturers considerable influence over significant power-unit changes.
Drivers criticise 2026 F1 regulations after Spa energy problems
The controversy escalated after the Belgian Grand Prix as the behaviour of the new-generation cars affected the spectacle at one of Formula 1’s most celebrated circuits. Running low on energy became a particular concern, prompting complaints that Spa had lost some of the qualities that traditionally made it such a demanding and exciting venue.
Carlos Sainz, who serves as a Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director, argued that anyone who reviewed the simulations in 2022 and 2023 without questioning whether the proposed system was acceptable should reconsider the decisions that were taken. Lewis Hamilton delivered an even sharper assessment, questioning who had approved the regulations and expressing surprise that those responsible remained in their positions.
The difficulties at Spa underlined the importance of battery harvesting and deployment under the new technical framework. Energy management has become a major performance factor in 2026, with Ferrari among the teams to have explored different approaches, including a Mercedes-inspired qualifying energy technique during practice in Hungary.
Nikolas Tombazis says FIA predicted the 2026 F1 problems
Nikolas Tombazis accepted that drivers were entitled to be highly demanding about the machinery they race. However, the Greek executive insisted that the FIA had foreseen many of their concerns and had attempted to make adjustments well before those problems became visible during Grand Prix weekends.
In his assessment, the governing body’s efforts failed because the existing decision-making structure prevented agreement. Tombazis consequently considered the outcome predictable, rather than the product of problems that emerged without warning after the regulations entered force.
The debate has followed years of discussion about the direction of Formula 1’s new power units, including previous consideration of whether the championship could revise or replace elements of the 2026 engine concept. The current rules place much greater emphasis on electrical power, making deployment limitations especially noticeable at circuits with long full-throttle sections.
Manufacturer approval became the decisive obstacle
The Power Unit Advisory Committee was created to protect the interests of both established engine suppliers and manufacturers entering Formula 1. Under that framework, a substantial regulatory amendment required support from the FIA, Formula One Management and at least four of the five power-unit manufacturers.
Tombazis explained that this threshold proved too difficult to reach. During years of discussions over possible adjustments, four manufacturers opposed the proposed modifications, leaving the FIA unable to proceed with its preferred response.
One specific plan would have reduced maximum electrical deployment to 200kW, but that proposal was rejected early in 2026. As a result, more immediate countermeasures did not arrive until the middle of the season, beginning with the Miami Grand Prix.
F1 agrees longer-term move towards a 60/40 power split
A longer-term roadmap has now been agreed with the aim of establishing a 60/40 division between the internal-combustion engine and battery contribution by 2028. Tombazis acknowledged his regret that Formula 1 had been unable to implement that direction approximately two years earlier.
Manufacturers are meanwhile continuing to develop their current packages within the 2026 framework. Ferrari, for example, has intensified reliability testing for its planned Monza power-unit upgrade as the Scuderia searches for additional performance without compromising durability.
Despite his frustration over the delay in changing the rules, Tombazis defended the entertainment produced during the season. He argued that the racing had remained engaging even though Mercedes won most of the Grands Prix, contrasting the campaign with previous regulatory periods in which one team’s early dominance produced processional races.
The dispute therefore extends beyond whether the original 2026 concept created foreseeable problems. It also raises questions about Formula 1’s ability to respond when the FIA, teams and manufacturers do not agree on how those problems should be addressed.
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