The FIA has moved to calm the storm brewing over Formula 1’s radical 2026 overhaul, with its single-seater chief Nikolas Tombazis insisting the governing body is “fully open” to fine-tuning the new rules if necessary.
As the championship hurtles toward one of the most dramatic technical resets in its history, anxiety has rippled through the paddock.
A 50-50 split between electric and combustion power, the removal of the MGU-H, and an aggressive new approach to energy deployment have created a car that feels markedly different – and not every driver is feeling comfortable with the changes.
Drivers Sound the Alarm
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen has been among the most vocal crtics of the sport’s new-generation machines, likening the latter to “Formula E on steroids” and questioning the heavy emphasis on electric output.
The Dutchman’s discomfort is not rooted in competitiveness alone – it’s about drivability.
George Russell, too, has raised concerns, particularly about race starts with the revamped power units. Without the MGU-H smoothing energy flow, launches have at times been awkward and unpredictable.
Pre-season running in Barcelona and Bahrain revealed some of the practical consequences of the new energy management demands.
Drivers were seen aggressively lifting and coasting at the end of straights to preserve charge, while sharp downshifts in slow corners became essential to claw back electrical energy. With nearly 470 horsepower coming from the battery alone, depletion is a real threat – and managing it has become an art form.
Tombazis acknowledges the concerns but urges perspective.
“Well, we need to, I think, always remember that the sport has a lot of stakeholders,” said the FIA executive.
“The drivers, of course, are extremely important in that. They are the stars, but we have to also remember that this sport attracts big motor manufacturers like Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari and Cadillac.”
The message is unmistakable: Formula 1’s future is being engineered not just for racing purity, but for long-term relevance and manufacturer commitment.
Refining the Revolution
Still, the FIA is not deaf to the cockpit chatter.
“The cars are new. In the period of last summer and last autumn, there were a lot of people driving simulators and expressing huge concerns,” Tombazis explained.
“I think the comments in Barcelona and in Bahrain are certainly much better than people going in on the simulator, but there are some comments, like what Max said.
“I think they’re getting used to the new cars, but we are completely conscious that we may need to make adjustments, and that has been a discussion.
“We’ve been open with the teams and the PU manufacturers for a long, long time, and with the drivers, indeed. I think there are some ways that we can act as a sport to make adjustments in the rules.
“Clearly, they would also need approval through the governance process – and we can’t just say tomorrow ‘we’ll change this and change that’, there’s a process.
“We are taking the drivers’ comments into consideration. We are asking them a number of questions to give us feedback, and the teams and the PU manufacturers are being extremely constructive in this process.
Read also: Ecclestone and Briatore unleash on ‘chaotic’ 2026 F1 season“So, I don’t think we are exactly where we’re going to be in a few months from now, we may have to make some adjustments and, frankly, I don’t think the adjustments are huge, that we need to make.”
The word “adjustments” carries weight. It signals flexibility — but not retreat. The 2026 concept, designed to balance sustainability with spectacle, remains intact.
A Work in Progress
Tombazis is adamant that the sport is already in a far stronger place than many feared when the rules were first simulated.
“If you take the comments that were being made in November or last summer, I think we are way, way better, and we’ve addressed a lot of the concerns,” asserted the former Ferrari engineer.
“Have we addressed every single concern? No, I think there are some topics that are still open. Clearly, drivers are used to extracting the maximum performance and driving a certain way, and they have to adapt, and until we solve these issues, it is correct that they give this feedback.
“Sometimes that may sound as complaining…it’s not. It’s part of the game. Of course, it is very easy to say, ‘yes, if the internal combustion was much bigger, the ERS was much smaller, there would be fewer of these problems.’ That is true.
“We’ve known that the 50/50 power solution has challenges right from 2022,” he acknowledged.
“It’s not new or a surprise. We’ve done a huge amount of work to work on how this energy is deployed, and I think we’ve done, in my view, 90% of the work to get to a reasonable place.
“There may be some adjustments now, as we’ve learned about the cars, and we are fully open to do that.”
For now, Formula 1’s revolution remains on track – but the rulebook pencil is still being sharpened at the FIA.
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