The FIA’s Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis has revealed the expected performance figures for the 2026 Formula 1 cars.
With the 2025 Formula 1 season now past its halfway mark, the focus in the paddock is increasingly shifting towards 2026 and the introduction of a completely new technical regulation package. The looming change has sparked intense discussion and growing concern among several teams, particularly those that may find themselves less prepared and starting at a disadvantage when the lights go out in Melbourne for the first race of the season.
The upcoming generation of F1 cars will be smaller in overall dimensions, fitted with narrower tyres, and will feature an entirely new aerodynamic philosophy. They will also use redesigned chassis structures and brand-new power units with a much higher degree of electrification, which will require drivers to adopt more “lift and coast” techniques to manage energy usage. These combined changes are expected, from a purely technical standpoint, to significantly increase lap times compared to the current machines.
It is common before any major regulation change for fans and media to speculate on how much slower the cars will be, and 2026 is no exception. This anticipated drop in outright speed has not been met with universal enthusiasm.
Nikolas Tombazis addressed the topic directly:
“I am always surprised by how important this subject seems to be to people,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. “There have been periods in the history of the sport where lap times went up. I don’t think this has ever harmed Formula 1. You get used to it very quickly. Besides, there are already differences of one and a half seconds between cars on the current grid – does that make the slower cars unattractive? The driver feels a 1.5-second difference, but from the outside it is barely noticeable.”
Will the new power units slow the cars down?
The 2026 Formula 1 cars will run with power units that are 50% electric. In recent months, there have been widespread discussions over whether teams will struggle to optimise these hybrid systems, which are perceived as less efficient and more complex to fine-tune than the current engines. Since they will be equally split between electric and internal combustion power, the new units will require a different driving style. Should the battery’s electric energy be depleted, the car would lose a significant amount of power, directly affecting lap times.
To counter this, the FIA has introduced active aerodynamics for 2026. This will allow cars to reduce drag on the straights, improving overall power unit efficiency and helping to mitigate some of the lost performance.
Based on initial analysis, it seems inevitable that the new generation of Formula 1 cars will be slower over a single qualifying lap than their predecessors. However, Tombazis sought to calm fears: “To reassure you, according to our simulations, the cars will be between one and two and a half seconds slower per lap. But this is only the starting point – the teams will quickly develop the cars, and soon nobody will be complaining about the lack of speed. We won’t drop to Formula 2 levels,” he added.
The FIA’s objective has always been to level the competitive field and improve the show on track. But with a technical revolution of this magnitude, it is inevitable that not every team will hit the ground running.
Nikolas Tombazis admitted there is still some uncertainty: “To be fair, we have not yet received aerodynamic load data from all the teams for their projected 2026 cars. So it is possible that some will start off in a much weaker position.”
For now, many questions about the 2026 Formula 1 season remain unanswered, and the ultimate verdict will be delivered only when the new cars hit the track.
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