2026 Formula One Season Thread

[CWallace]

F1 needs a rules overhaul with more input from the drivers. Maybe the FIA should be shown the door.

Many of the penalties we have now are because the drivers have petitioned the FIA for them over the past few years.

I think they did not want a repeat of AB21, so they thought let's not.. Let's race, let's not race..

In the aftermath of that race, the rules were amended so that in the case there were insufficient laps remaining to allow the lapped cars to un-lap themselves, the SC could be withdrawn with them still lapped.

That being said, they did allow the cars to un-lap themselves and they were well away from the Top Five at the start of Lap 51 so there was no reason for the SC to not come in (as appears to have been the plan) instead of allowing them to catch up, which required an additional lap (the final lap of the event).

 

[JustinePaula]

There is nothing about a 1 lap in the 2026 regs

c. If the Race Director considers it safe to do so, the message “LAPPED CARS MAY NOW
OVERTAKE” will be sent to all Competitors, and the green light on the Safety Car will be
illuminated to signal to all F1 Cars that have been lapped by the leader that they are required
to pass the F1 Cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car.

This will only apply to F1 Cars that were lapped at the time they crossed the Line at the end of
the lap during which they crossed the first safety car line for the second time after the Safety
Car was deployed.

Whilst they are overtaking the cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car, and in order to ensure
this may be carried out safely, the cars on the lead lap must always stay on the racing line
unless deviating from it is unavoidable.

Once all such cars have passed the Safety Car, the green light on the Safety Car will be
extinguished to signal that overtaking is no longer permitted, with the exception of the cases
listed in Article B5.13.2c.

Having overtaken the F1 Cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car these F1 Cars should then
proceed around the track at an appropriate speed, without overtaking, and make every effort
to take up position at the back of the queue of F1 Cars behind the Safety Car.

Whilst such cars are proceeding around the track to rejoin the line of cars behind the Safety
Car, and at the sole discretion of the race director, the Pit Lane exit may be closed when the
Safety Car and line of cars behind it are approaching and passing the Pit Lane exit.

SECTION B: SPORTING REGULATIONS 0B
B46

2026 Formula 1: Sporting Regulations

B5.13.5 Duration of SC Period
a. Except under Article B5.13.4c, the Safety Car shall be used at least until the leader is behind it
and all remaining F1 Cars are queued behind them.

b. Unless the Race Director considers the presence of the Safety Car remains necessary, once
the message “LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE” has been sent to all Competitors in
accordance with Article B5.13.4c, the Safety Car will return to the pits at the end of the
following lap.

B5.13.6 Withdrawal of Safety Car
When the Race Director decides it is safe to end the Safety Car period, the message “SAFETY CAR
IN THIS LAP” will be sent to all Competitors and the orange lights on the Safety Car will be
extinguished. This will be the signal to the Competitors and drivers that it will be entering the Pit
Lane at the end of that lap.

At this point the first F1 Car in line behind the Safety Car may dictate the pace and may fall back
from the Safety Car, exceeding the maximum allowable gap between the leader and the Safety Car
defined in Article B5.13.2b.

In order to avoid the likelihood of accidents before the Safety Car returns to the pits, from the point
at which the orange lights on the Safety Car are extinguished drivers must proceed at a pace which
involves no erratic acceleration or braking nor any other manoeuvre which is likely to endanger
other drivers or impede the restart.

As the Safety Car is approaching the Pit Entry Road the SC boards will be withdrawn and, other than
on the last lap of the TTCS, as the leader approaches the Line the yellow flags will be withdrawn and
a green flag and/or green light panel will be displayed at the Line.

 

[CWallace]

Looks like Max's off was again caused by his "Macarena Wing" failing to properly close. I expect it will be abandoned for at least until the Summer Break. I wonder how that will impact straight-line performance.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Why don’t they allow lapped cars to unlap themselves immediately when the SC is deployed. Just impose a speed limit (easy to do with the display in the car) for the area where the marshals are working.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Heck I thought we were worked up about the SC and penalty issues.

Last time I heard Mark Webber that wound up he’d just been past by Vettel against team orders….

 

[JustinePaula]

The problem is the FIA lied... There is no 1 lap regulation, they made that up to justify, the regulations are clear, cars can race after the last lapped car overtakes.. There is no cooling off period..

 

[fmenard]

Why don’t they allow lapped cars to unlap themselves immediately when the SC is deployed. Just impose a speed limit (easy to do with the display in the car) for the area where the marshals are working.

That's an entirely too logical a scenario for the tin hats at the FiA to even remotely consider. They've demonstrated too often their belief in their logic and fairness. I just think of them as teenagers playing in the grownups' sandbox.

 

[JustinePaula]

OK, the FIA asserts B5.13.5 which reads as "
B5.13.5 Duration of SC Period
a. Except under Article B5.13.4c, the Safety Car shall be used at least until the leader is behind it
and all remaining F1 Cars are queued behind them.

b. Unless the Race Director considers the presence of the Safety Car remains necessary, once
the message “LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE” has been sent to all Competitors in
accordance with Article B5.13.4c, the Safety Car will return to the pits at the end of the
following lap."

Will return to the pits at the end of the following lap... Is this the 1 lap the FIA is muttering on about??

 

[Micahrea]

I wasn't expecting Charles to win it at the start of the race but I am glad he did.

 

[Glideslope]

Looks like Max's off was again caused by his "Macarena Wing" failing to properly close. I expect it will be abandoned for at least until the Summer Break. I wonder how that will impact straight-line performance.

Exact same failure as Austria. Mekies apologizing once again, but not correcting……. Max was livid. Off’s like these in the 80’s would have meant hospitalization.

The only question now is where is he next year. Summer break will be insane.

 

[Glideslope]

OK, the FIA asserts B5.13.5 which reads as "
B5.13.5 Duration of SC Period
a. Except under Article B5.13.4c, the Safety Car shall be used at least until the leader is behind it
and all remaining F1 Cars are queued behind them.

b. Unless the Race Director considers the presence of the Safety Car remains necessary, once
the message “LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE” has been sent to all Competitors in
accordance with Article B5.13.4c, the Safety Car will return to the pits at the end of the
following lap."

Will return to the pits at the end of the following lap... Is this the 1 lap the FIA is muttering on about??

FIA is officially blaming the conundrum on a software glitch. 😭

All those quality hires under MBS. 😉

 

[m..]

Why don’t they allow lapped cars to unlap themselves immediately when the SC is deployed. Just impose a speed limit (easy to do with the display in the car) for the area where the marshals are working.

I think they want all the cars bunched together, because people might be working near or on the track. They will know where all the cars are and get a couple of minutes with little risk before the cars come round again.