The 2026 Formula 1 technical regulations are still very much a work in progress. New engines, new fuels, active aerodynamics, redesigned tyres – it is a revolution on a scale perhaps never seen before in the history of the sport. The concerns of teams and drivers in recent months have filled the pages of every motorsport magazine and news outlet.
The FIA is trying to calm the atmosphere, but the words of Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s Head of Single-Seater Affairs, have cast new light – and at the same time new shadows – on a framework that looks anything but final. His comments also bring back memories of what has already happened in the current regulatory cycle, when mid-season technical directives were introduced to correct unforeseen issues, changing the competitive balance along the way.
Tombazis began by clarifying the now much more significant role – accounting for 50 percent – of the electric side of the new power units. Speaking to Autosport, he explained: “Obviously, when you have a much larger proportion of electric power and a smaller proportion of ICE, and you do not have batteries that can last the full race distance without energy management, then energy handling becomes a challenge. The opportunity for manufacturers lies in developing batteries and electric systems. We will see innovations on this front, but there are also challenges to face.”
The subject is at the core of the concerns raised by drivers such as Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Alexander Albon, who after early simulator tests expressed doubts that Formula 1 could turn into an exercise in energy management rather than pure driving. Nikolas Tombazis tried to reassure them: “We have not finished the rules yet. They are evolving, and from the beginning we knew that by reducing one component and increasing the other, there would be problems that needed to be solved.”
The nightmare of technical directives
When it comes to possible further amendments to the regulations to fix these potential problems, Tombazis was clear: there will be no changing of the overall structure and basic operating principles of the new power units – it is too late for that. Instead, the focus would be on fine-tuning parameters related to the recovery and deployment of energy. “There are strong levers we can use: maximum power, the speed at which it drops on the straights, the amount of energy that can be recovered. We are working on these aspects to avoid unnatural situations on track,” Tombazis added.
The reference to the most vocal critics is obvious. Nobody wants to see cars slowing down on straights, artificial downshifts, or engines running out of power before the lap is completed. Nikolas Tombazis insisted: “We absolutely do not want drivers to have to lift off the throttle on the straights. When it is time to go fast, they must be able to keep the accelerator fully pressed.”
The difficulty, however, also lies in the limited information currently available to both the teams and the federation. Manufacturers are understandably reluctant to share details about their 2026 projects. “Not all teams and power unit manufacturers are open with us. Some are very secretive, others very collaborative. We take ideas from both sides,” said Nikolas Tombazis. This situation hints at possible tensions in the future, especially once adjustments begin to affect competitive balance, just as happened in 2022. Back then, technical directives regarding flexible wings and porpoising were issued during the season, which forced major changes and reshaped the competitive order – decisions that fans clearly did not enjoy.
For now, the FIA is relying on simulator testing and driver feedback to steer its course. But doubts remain strong. The overall impression is that Formula 1 is heading towards another shaky regulatory debut, one in which mid-season corrections will once again prove unavoidable. And that comes at the expense of technical stability and of fans who long for a more consistent and transparent future for the sport. It is, in many ways, the Formula 1 that nobody wants to see.
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