Formula 1 Canadian GP
F1 team bosses to meet amid 2026 rules concern
Formula 1 team bosses are to meet at the Canadian Grand Prix to discuss concerns that have emerged about the new 2026 rules, Motorsport.com has learned.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Jun 7, 2024, 9:11 PM
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Just a day after the FIA published concept images and outline plans about the car revolution that is coming from 2026, worries about some of the ideas being implemented have emerged.
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With an online meeting of the FIA's Technical Advisory Committee having exposed some of the issues at stake on Thursday, sources have revealed that team bosses want the topic of 2026 to be central to a gathering that will take place in the Montreal paddock on Saturday morning.
However, as this will form part of what is a semi-regular meeting held with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and other senior stakeholders to discuss a variety of topics in F1, it is unclear if they will get the opportunity to move things forward.
Currently, central to the concern is the fact that some teams feel the FIA has pushed on with elements of the rules which they do not think will work in the way they are intended.
This includes the overall aerodynamic concept, with some teams suggesting that the new cars could be especially slow because they will be lacking downforce and frequently run out of battery power.
Another element that teams want talking about is the weight reduction plans, with an outline idea being for the cars to be 30kg lighter than the current machinery despite a likely overall increase in the bulk of the batteries.
There are fears that teams will find it impossible to get anywhere near close to that and will end up spending an enormous amount of money in trying to find marginal gains.
Teams also want more details about the state of the active aero plans, with the FIA having said it intends to introduce a dual state system – with wings in a Z-mode for high downforce and a low-drag X-mode for the straights.
F1 2026 FIA car renders
Photo by: FIA
FIA deadlines
Although concerns about the state of the regulations have been bubbling away for a while now, it is the FIA’s publication of its plans this week that has thrust the matter centre stage.
The FIA's actions have effectively shown to the teams that a lot of decisions about what is coming for 2026 have now been made, and highlighted that there is no holding back on plans to get things finalised by the end of this month before it gets more complicated to make changes.
Under the FIA’s International Sporting Code (ISC), any regulation change that the FIA considers is “likely to have a substantial impact on the technical design of the Automobile and/or the balance of performance between the Automobiles” needs to be published on 30 June, a year and a half before it comes into force.
After that period, revisions require support from the competitors – which could prove troublesome as it is understood that not all teams are on the same page about what should be done.
There are some teams who would like to delay the publication of the rules until October, to give the FIA more time to fine-tune them – which makes some sense because teams are not allowed to work on the aerodynamic elements of the cars properly until January next year anyway.
Nevertheless, it is understood that a proposal to allow that to happen was blocked by one team that felt it important the FIA stuck to the June deadline.
F1 2026 FIA car renders
Photo by: FIA
Article 18.2.4 of the ISC states that a shorter notice period for the publication of rules than the June 30 deadline is only possible with the unanimous agreement of the teams – something that does not appear to be on the cards.
However, one source suggested that the FIA still has the opportunity under 18.2.4 to act with the support of just the majority of teams in going for an October release if it feels that there are justifiable reasons for doing so.
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The rules states: “In exceptional circumstances, and if the FIA considers that the change in question is essential for the safeguarding of the Championship, cup, trophy, challenge or series concerned, the agreement of the majority of the Competitors properly entered shall suffice.”
In its presentation documents on Thursday, the FIA said that the rules were anticipated to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council on June 28.
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