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that in the case there were insufficient laps remaining to allow the lapped cars to un-lap themselves, the SC could be withdrawn with them still lapped.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.

 

[Pezimak]

Oh dear RB, they need to get Max's car sorted out. But Silverstone seems to have magnetic corners for Max but in the wrong direction..

And what the hell, WHAT THE HELL stewards.. a 5 Second penalty for Antonelli with steering problems yet he gained NO advantage what so ever going off...?? Their was no one anywhere hear him?

Charles dominated the race, Ferrari and Lewis screwed up though pitting him at the end, they handed second to Mercedes on a silver platter but ONLY thanks to the FIA possibly...

And the FIA and safety cars.. they just do not mix at all do they.. what an amateur farce. Charles could have lost it at the end there..

Red Bull have a lot of work to do over the summer break.

 

[JustinePaula]

Kimi needs to go back to F1 school.. White lines are the track limits, cross and you are fined.. He thinks cause he is special and drove a special needs car, he should be exempted.. Lewis should be exempted for being a 7 times from a false/jump/moved start...

Kimi is a precious princess that thinks he is precious, he gets privilege and no penalty.. He should get a 1 race ban for being a bit childish..

 

[pachyderm]

Kimi needs to go back to F1 school.. White lines are the track limits, cross and you are fined.. He thinks cause he is special and drove a special needs car, he should be exempted.. Lewis should be exempted for being a 7 times from a false/jump/moved start...

Kimi is a precious princess that thinks he is precious, he gets privilege and no penalty.. He should get a 1 race ban for being a bit childish..

OOOooooooohhhh yeeaaahhh... there was a reason I had you on "ignore".

 

[pachyderm]

Lord:

Sainz penalty for Safety Car infringement confirmed

Carlos Sainz has been handed a post-race penalty following the British Grand Prix after a Safety Car infringement.

www.formula1.com

 

[JustinePaula]

Rules are rules, to exempt a driver, or excuse an infraction is unfair on the 21 other drivers that did not offend...

"My car was broken" is not a valid reason to not count his excursions beyond the white lines.. He should have 1-stopped the car, 2- driven to the pits, and retired, or 3-waited until the car was repaired, going 15 laps down...

He fails to accept that rules apply across the grid, and he is not exempt from punishment just because he has a weak and useless car.

 

[Pezimak]

I will add I was SERIOUSLY impressed with Hadjar! Finally a team mate Max can kinda rely on for being somewhat near him and to challenge him.

 

[CWallace]

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.

There are rumors already that Red Bull Racing could shed one or more engineers (via being sacked) over this.

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

Indeed.

And what the hell, WHAT THE HELL stewards.. a 5 Second penalty for Antonelli with steering problems yet he gained NO advantage what so ever going off...?? Their was no one anywhere hear him?

I read the stewards document and he was tagged for "exceeding track limits" four times. You are allowed to do so twice with just a notice to the team and for the third infraction of said rule, the offending driver is shown the Black and White flag as a formal warning to stop doing it. Then from the fourth infraction onward, you are assessed a five second time penalty.

So he was not specifically tagged for "going off-track and gaining an advantage", even though most media are reporting it as such. Also, the penalty for doing that is 10 seconds for each infringement (starting with the first).

 

[JustinePaula]

Kimi crossed the line at least 6 times, was dinged a 5 sec fine as a result, he thinks it was unfair due to "not my fault, broken car", rules are rules, there is no box for submitting a reason for transgression... Cross the line, pay, don't cross, don't pay... Like tolls, you can use the road or not...a choice.. He had choices, he chose to drive, lessons at the school of F1 are expensive..

 

[pachyderm]

Kimi crossed the line at least 6 times, was dinged a 5 sec fine as a result, he thinks it was unfair due to "not my fault, broken car", rules are rules, there is no box for submitting a reason for transgression... Cross the line, pay, don't cross, don't pay... Like tolls, you can use the road or not...a choice.. He had choices, he chose to drive, lessons at the school of F1 are expensive..

I agree with this.

He should have retired, and very nearly did, once it became clear he couldn't reliably steer the car.

 

[JustinePaula]

What was shown was immature weak leadership, F1 is not for precious princesses... It is a tough dangerous system, and tough decisions have to be made.."kimi retire the car.." But no they played dress up with mom's special drawer, to please a child.. "How brave" some mutt said on tv... No how immature I thought Toto and his loyal band of yes people, too scared to behave as adults... The team should be banned 1 race...

 

[Herdfan]

I'm not complaining.

The McLaren livery is very nice.

Yeah it looks good, but kept thinking it was a Racing Bull when watching the race.

 

[pachyderm]

Yeah it looks good, but kept thinking it was a Racing Bull when watching the race.

I thought it was a Mercedes once or twice...

 

[JustinePaula]

It was confusing, did someone have a bad reaction to a breakfast pawpaw? They are just that shade of green when a day early for consumption.. They are the pawpaws and not some off color sick green... Maybe that is why they did so badly?? Like the time in the German GP one year, the Mercs pranced around in old school uniforms and it was a farce, some poor bastard went out with all the wrong tyres, and panic mechanics.. Meme central... Dress up is for the 25/12 office party, not at a F1 race..