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2026 Formula One Season Thread
- Thread starter The-Real-Deal82
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Maybe but more and more drivers are speaking out.. they are NOT happy with where F1 currently is, if they don't change it I can see a fair few just walking, plenty of other events they can go and do as showing in recent weeks, some have gone and given them a try. These new regs have come back and bitten the FIA and Toto right in the arse. Spectator may soon loose interest once they learn those F1 cars are going the same speeds as F2 cars do, and F2 can have better racing for the fans.
I feel they have to involve the drivers in there decisions going forward, the can't simply take their opinions on advisement anymore and then make decisions behind closed doors to the drivers as they have done.
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CWallace
macrumors G5
Afterwards, I put on the podcast while doing my morning workout and it was really enlightening.
Podcast link:
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headlessmike
macrumors 68000
The Nürburgring is unfortunately a particularly dangerous track with high speeds, blind corners, and by being relatively narrow. As spectacular as it is, it’s debatable if the track is suitable for modern professional racing given how big and fast modern cars are.
Glideslope
macrumors G3
Point taken. That being said Juha was in a 325i in VT2. All 7 cars were VT2/V4 Production Class. I'd almost be inclined to speculate the small size of his 325i could have reduced his safety as each car hit.
Glideslope
macrumors G3
CWallace
macrumors G5
I mean they can only do so much. The changes will make a qualifying lap slower, but it will look faster since drivers will be pushing more. And the changes to MGU-K deployment on a bogged start should help reduce the chance of a rear-end shunt during the start as well as prevent high closing speeds entering corners while increasing passing opportunities exiting corners and in the overtaking zones.
FIA document outlining all the changes: https://www.fia.com/news/refinement...rgy management parameters,2-4 seconds per lap.
FIA document outlining all the changes: https://www.fia.com/news/refinement...rgy management parameters,2-4 seconds per lap.
Glideslope
macrumors G3
I understand that. This start procedure software tweak just removes me from the reason I love F1. Now we have the car ECU determining the driver doesn’t have the proper start underway, so it decides to add MGU power. I understand the rational, but see almost every new regulation removing the driver further from being able to drive.
But I digress……
CWallace
macrumors G5
I admit I am a bit surprised Ferrari went with it since it further neutralizes their small turbo advantage, but with the FIA President laying down the law last week in terms of being ready to unilaterally make changes in the name of "safety", perhaps they felt they did not have a choice.
I wonder if Ferrari can increase their turbo size under ADUO or if they need to wait until the seasonal homologation tweaks because it is now turning from an advantage to a disadvantage.
headlessmike
macrumors 68000
I know I'm part of the minority here, but I've never seen F1 as a driver's sport. I see it as an engineering team sport and wish that there was more freedom in how the teams can build and set up their powertrain and chassis. I couldn't care less if the driver's enjoy driving the cars or if they can't run full throttle if that's not what's fastest within the ruleset.
My dream of F1 would be a sport where the regulations stipulate a maximum fuel load, minimum weight, and total footprint, and nothing else. I'd also get rid of the driver's championship as it's not a fair race anyway (in terms of finding who's the best driver) with some cars being faster than others.
headlessmike
macrumors 68000
From what I've heard, Ferrari were planning to upgauge their tubo all along no mater what as the turbo size they've been using is a carryover from their 2025 PU rather than a specific design choice for 2026.
Glideslope
macrumors G3
I’d wager there was no choice. That’s a good question on turbo diameters. I’d imagine they could if they feel the new start process negates that advantage they had. Might be beneficial to go larger for some extra on the long straights. Can only reduce downforce on the back so much. All the cars seem to be oversteering currently.
Glideslope
macrumors G3
Non-Euclidean
macrumors 6502a
I don't think the spectators are as shallow minded and driven only by speed as you think. Its the teams, the drivers, the level of competition and the spectacle.
They are, otherwise what is the point in the sport?
Madonepro
macrumors 65816
The concept behind this new startup feature, allows for the MGU-K to kick in, at a minimum of 50 km/hr, but it has been stated, it will have redundancies, to prevent it being a 'performance enhancement', so as to prevent teams, purposely screwing up the starts. The Ferrari's will still have an advantage, as there time away, will always be greater, due to the time it takes the other cars to get to 50 km/hr, and the limited use thereof of MGU-K power.
CWallace
macrumors G5
The existing rules do not allow the MGU-K to engage below 50km/h to prevent it from being used as a "launch aid" to get a faster launch off the line.
The new rules being tested at Miami will allow the MGU-K to engage below 50km/h (I presume at any speed) so that if a car bogs down significantly off the line, the MGU-K will engage to provide additional power to ensure the car does not stall and gets off the line at sufficient speed to give cars behind time to avoid running into it. Essentially, it is designed to prevent situations like at Melbourne where Liam Lawson was crawling off the line and Franco Colapinto had to take emergency evasive action to not run into him.
As you noted, the system will not provide enough power to make it a "launch aid" to prevent drivers from intentionally stuffing their starts to gain an advantage at the start.
CWallace
macrumors G5
So sounds like the Red Bull Ford Powertrains' ICE could be the strongest in the field, which means they will not get any ADUO tokens and they are the baseline everyone else is compared to - including Mercedes.
In Aston Martin Honda land, Honda has said they have reduced the engine vibrations to an "acceptable level" on the dyno, but when the engine is bolted to the chassis as a stressed-member, they return. Also, when Newey formally took on his duties in March of 2025, he pushed Honda to make significant changes to their power unit, including double-stacking the battery with the electronics package and moving the MGU-K from behind the engine to in front in order to shorten the overall length to allow more open space to the rear wing which could be used to generate additional downforce. Newey also made so many changes to the chassis that it was effectively a new design and contributed to the delays in having it ready for Winter Testing.
In Aston Martin Honda land, Honda has said they have reduced the engine vibrations to an "acceptable level" on the dyno, but when the engine is bolted to the chassis as a stressed-member, they return. Also, when Newey formally took on his duties in March of 2025, he pushed Honda to make significant changes to their power unit, including double-stacking the battery with the electronics package and moving the MGU-K from behind the engine to in front in order to shorten the overall length to allow more open space to the rear wing which could be used to generate additional downforce. Newey also made so many changes to the chassis that it was effectively a new design and contributed to the delays in having it ready for Winter Testing.
Glideslope
macrumors G3
I’m impressed with the RBPT/Ford. I wasn’t expecting performance like this. I’m going to wager reliability will be acceptable as well.
Horner really nailed RBPT in the initial hiring and management structure. Unfortunate he probably won’t be remembered for it.
Glideslope
macrumors G3
CWallace
macrumors G5
The Race sums up the effect of the changes that will be tested in Miami and, if successful, will become standard using data supplied by McLaren between their 2026 and 2025 cars.
CWallace
macrumors G5
Former F1 engineer Toni Cuquerella did new modeling for Miami based on the new regulations and reports the following:
To enable it, a driver must be above 98% power accelerating out of the corner for at least one second.
In general, this was not an issue, but it did catch Leclerc out in China qualifying as he had to lift for a moment to correct an oversteer moment coming out of Turn 10. This "reset the clock" and he then had to get back on full-throttle again and use additional battery power, which negated the whole thing and meant he was energy starved through the rest of the lap, costing him time and positions.
The new rule is that as long as the drivers are at 98% for one second, they will activate the power limited pending phase, regardless of subsequent throttle movement.
And Argentina made a case for the return of their Grand Prix, with 600,000 fans showing up to watch Franco Colapinto flog a 2012 Lotus E20 in the current Alpine livery around the streets of Buenos Aires. While the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez currently no longer meets FIA standards to host a Grand Prix (it is Grade 4 and F1 requires Grade 1), it is being redeveloped to host Moto GP starting in 2027. Moto GP is handled under the FIM, not the FIA, but many FIM Grade A tracks (required to host MotoGP) also hold an FIA Grade 1 rating.
www.the-race.com
- Lap time increases by around .25 seconds a Lap
- The start of the super-clipping zone decreases from 190 meters before the end of the straight to 50, which is effectively the start of the normal braking zone and braking speed increases from 290km/h to 309km/h. This should significantly reduce the "yo-yo" effect.
To enable it, a driver must be above 98% power accelerating out of the corner for at least one second.
In general, this was not an issue, but it did catch Leclerc out in China qualifying as he had to lift for a moment to correct an oversteer moment coming out of Turn 10. This "reset the clock" and he then had to get back on full-throttle again and use additional battery power, which negated the whole thing and meant he was energy starved through the rest of the lap, costing him time and positions.
The new rule is that as long as the drivers are at 98% for one second, they will activate the power limited pending phase, regardless of subsequent throttle movement.
And Argentina made a case for the return of their Grand Prix, with 600,000 fans showing up to watch Franco Colapinto flog a 2012 Lotus E20 in the current Alpine livery around the streets of Buenos Aires. While the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez currently no longer meets FIA standards to host a Grand Prix (it is Grade 4 and F1 requires Grade 1), it is being redeveloped to host Moto GP starting in 2027. Moto GP is handled under the FIM, not the FIA, but many FIM Grade A tracks (required to host MotoGP) also hold an FIA Grade 1 rating.
How F1 has got rid of one of 2026 rules' strangest quirks
Among the F1 rule changes coming in for Miami is a tweak that should tackle one of the new cars' oddest habits
www.the-race.com
TheIntruder
macrumors 68020
Once again, Gary Anderson sums it up well:
www.the-race.com
2027, perhaps.
Gary Anderson: The simple 2026 rules fixes F1 is missing
F1 just needs to put the driver back in charge of the car, and it's missing obvious ways to do so - reckons Gary Anderson
www.the-race.com
2027, perhaps.
