Super-clipping issue pushes FIA to drop minimum energy recovery cap, GPDA backs proposal

Super-clipping issue pushes FIA to drop minimum energy recovery cap, GPDA backs proposal. FIA discusses regulatory changes for the 2026 Formula 1 rules aimed at solving super-clipping concerns,.

In recent days, the FIA has held meetings with teams and manufacturers in order to address several issues related to both safety and on-track spectacle, which have emerged from the new 2026 technical regulations. Although it quickly became clear that qualifying sessions where drivers use super-clipping to recover energy on straights were not a viable scenario, the incident involving Ollie Bearman and Franco Colapinto in Japan has required a swift response from the Federation, as the issue is no longer only about show and entertainment, but also about driver safety itself.

During media sessions at the Pirelli tests, Mercedes driver George Russell, who is also one of the directors of the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association), was asked to share his opinion on how these meetings are being conducted and the direction of the discussions.

The FIA appears to have found a solution to super-clipping

According to early reports, one of the possible solutions to avoid such heavy use of super-clipping on straights is to intervene on the minimum recharge value, currently set at 250 kW, with a maximum value defined in the regulations at 350 kW. The idea being discussed is to remove the minimum limit altogether, allowing drivers to use even small amounts of power in energy recovery mode at any point on the circuit.

According to Russell, this would be “a fairly obvious choice. It would already avoid many problems during energy recovery on straights, which leads to a reduction in speed. There are other small parts of the regulations that define how engine power should be used to recover energy at certain speeds. At the moment, on a very short straight, with the minimum recharge limit in place, there was not enough time to go from maximum 350 kW deployment to a super-peak. If the straight is short, there is no time to do it,” reports the BBC.

Essentially, without a lower recharge limit, drivers would be able to recover energy anywhere on the track. They would still give up a small amount of top speed, but this would allow them to recover energy in a safer way. This would result in speed deltas more similar to what was seen last year with DRS activation, estimated at around 10–15 km/h, rather than the very sharp differences of 40–50 km/h that were observed in Japan.

Russell looks to the future with confidence

“With the right small, appropriate adjustments, there could be significant improvements in the overall driving experience,” Russell continued, concluding his thoughts. “The FIA is making very good use of this break; they have gathered a lot of feedback from the drivers.”

The GPDA appears to support the package of measures that the Federation is expected to formalize after all scheduled meetings with teams, drivers, and manufacturers. According to Russell’s words, further changes are still needed, but at the very least, things seem to be moving in the right direction.