To say that Formula One has taken a wrong turn with its technical regulations this season would be a massive understatement. The FIA ceded its authority to specify the car and power unit regulations to the manufacturers with disastrous consequences. Yet now, the FIA head of day to day activities accepts there must be a different direction for the future of F1.
The 50/50 Power Unit Compromise
In order to attract more manufacturers into the sport, F1’s governing body caved in to the ridiculous notion of power units that were 50% battery power and 50% internal combustion engine. The consequences were enormous. It meant the cars needed to be redesigned completely to cope with the massive amounts of torque the new engines would produce.
Red Bull simulations as early as 2023 called out the “Frankenstein” cars, which would run out of battery power and slow halfway down the longer straights on the F1 calendar. They also predicted what has been nicknamed “superclipping.” This is a phenomenon where the combustion engine is not only the sole source of power driving the car, but is also acting as a generator to recharge the battery.
Yet the FIA allowed the manufacturers to decide on the next five-year iteration of F1 cars and engines, although a last-minute effort in Bahrain in 2025 saw them call the manufacturers together. It was suggested the power balance be shifted 60/40 in favor of the internal combustion engine, but Mercedes, Honda, and Audi refused to entertain the notion.
This new split of power, of course, will be the resolution to the current woes of the “yo-yo” racing cars, but once again, resistance from certain manufacturers means this will not happen before the 2028 season.
Heavy Cars and Disregarded Drivers
One thing that was agreed for 2026 was that F1 cars have become too heavy and cumbersome. In 2025, they had a 798kg minimum weight. Prior to leaving Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton reflected on how F1 cars have grown over the years he has been racing. Speaking to Silver Arrows Net, he said: “The lighter cars were more nimble, were nowhere near as big, naturally, and so racing, manoeuvring the car was better.”
“I’m just realising when I got to Formula 1 the car was like 600 kilos, and now it’s [nearly 200] kilos heavier. I think that makes a big difference. They don’t have to change the regulations much to make the cars three seconds quicker, just make the cars lighter. They are super heavy.”
Of course, as the latest paddock war of words proves, F1 doesn’t take much account of the drivers’ opinions and allowed the manufacturers to pile on the weight over the years with heavy batteries and hybrid systems.
Current world champion Lando Norris recently identified the reason for F1’s decision-making in an interview with The Guardian: “The thing that’s a shame is that Formula One’s gone too heavily led by the fact it’s a business nowadays and not how can you make the sport the best possible. It’s how can you just make the most money as a business, and that’s just not what it should simply be. That’s not how a sport should be run.”
Tombazis Defends Aerodynamic Progress
Despite the CEO of F1 claiming his f1.com devotee fans are enjoying the racing this season more than last year’s epic, there is a swell of opinion that is demanding the FIA take control of matters for the next regulation cycle starting no later than 2031. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA official responsible for the day-to-day activities of F1, is now outlining his view for the future of the sport.
While accepting the ridiculous power units have caused a massive headache for F1, Tombazis believes some aspects of car design have moved in the right direction.
“I think probably yes, although one should never assume that the job is finished. But I do think cars follow each other more closely,” Autosport reports. “I believe we are similar to where we were at the start of the 2022 championship, but I think it’s a bit more robust this year,” he insisted.
The 2022 regulation reset saw the introduction of ground-effect cars, and the phenomenon known as porpoising critically affected certain teams. The solutions needed to be reworked to prevent the drivers from being shaken to pieces—something Tombazis suggests is not the case with the current generation of F1 cars.
“The various aerodynamic solutions they’ve had, we haven’t found something that has broken the concept, whereas in the previous regulations there were a few things that actually did significantly compromise the concept,” Tombazis said. “That mainly relates to the front wing endplates in the last generation car, the floor edges and all the furniture on the front wheel.”
He refers to the front wing endplates, which used to reach out to the outer edge of the front wheel. This, together with the floor designs, created turbulent air for the car behind. This made following closely very difficult, with the result that the trailing car would soon destroy its tires. For 2026, the endplates are not allowed further out than the inside of the wheel, which channels the air underneath and not around the car.
The airflow is then picked up by a new and larger diffuser at the rear of the car and used to increase rear-end downforce—a positive improvement. This year’s cars have also shed around 30kg of weight, hardly world-shattering, but a move in the right direction.
Looking Ahead: Ditching Hybrids and Returning to V8s?
“The cars are a bit lighter and a bit smaller, which the drivers have appreciated,” Tombazis adds. “Now, is that where I would like us to be? No. I would like us to be another 80 kilos lighter, and maybe still a bit shorter and a bit smaller in the future.”
This will inevitably mean that F1 will be forced to ditch the cumbersome and hefty hybrid units with their batteries. And while the manufacturers will be upset with this move, the momentum for change has become almost unstoppable. Lighter V8 traditional racing units with no turbochargers are penciled in, and as FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem commented earlier this year, “with very, very little electrification.”
“Not Easy for My Grandma to Drive”
This year, many of the F1 drivers have revealed the new cars have meant they have been forced to adjust their driving styles. Lando Norris even described his MCL40 as “the most difficult car” he has driven in his entire career.
Tombazis suggests this simply means the cream of the crop will rise to the top. “They are still quite difficult cars to drive for the drivers, which I think is good, that they’re not just cars that anybody can drive,” Tombazis added. “Some of the aerodynamic regulations push towards teams not being able to address every single aspect of a car through a corner, and therefore they do have some challenges.
“I think when we have the 22 best drivers in the world, we should also have cars that are not exactly easy for my grandma to drive,” the FIA official concludes.
The Monza Ultimate Test
Yet on this, Tombazis is missing the point. The drivers are complaining about the cars being difficult to drive because they are unpredictable.
Lando Norris revealed that at the Japanese Grand Prix, his McLaren MCL40 decided to overtake Lewis Hamilton ahead without the driver giving the required input to do so. The computer algorithm miscalculated where on track Norris was, and so gave his maximum electrical power when he gently pressed the accelerator. Of course, come the front straight, Norris was out of electrical charge, and Hamilton simply repassed him.
The big test for the all-new F1 power units is yet to come. In Monza, we have some of the longest straights on the F1 calendar. There is very little braking around the track inside the Royal Park, with drivers on the anchors for just 14–16 seconds across an 80-second long lap.
With the F1 combustion engines restricted to just 545 HP, they will therefore at times be slower than the F2 cars, which have 620 HP this season. Tombazis’s comments on the future of F1 do make some sense, but his failure to address the future of F1 power means behind the scenes, the manufacturers are attempting to hold sway.
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
