Lewis Hamilton has given a cautious welcome to plans to use the next generation of Formula 1 cars in 2026, with the rules defining a smaller, more agile car, but the British driver praised the success of the new formula Environmental considerations.
On Thursday, the FIA published details of the new design regulations to be used from 2026, describing the concept behind them as aiming to deliver “agile” cars. These include being 30kg lighter, 10cm narrower and 20cm shorter.
Hamilton will join Ferrari from Mercedes next season when new rules come into effect. Ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion, who has long criticized the current car for being bulky, wide and unwieldy, wants more details on whether the new model will offer better prospects for drivers. fan.
“It’s only 30 kilograms, so it’s oriented in the right direction, but it’s still heavy,” he said. “I just saw [the FIA announcement] You all saw it. I’ve talked to some drivers who have driven it on the simulator, I haven’t, but they say it’s very slow so we’ll see if it’s actually the right direction.
The engine under the new regulations will run on fully sustainable fuel, with the FIA describing it as the most efficient engine in the world, and will now utilize 300% more battery power, providing a 50-50 ratio with the internal combustion engine.
Hamilton believes it is an important step but stresses the quality of racing is fundamental to the sport.
“This is a very bold step in the right direction in terms of sustainability of power units,” the 39-year-old said. “We have to make sure the car is efficient, fast and really takes a step forward to raise the level of racing.”
As part of the new formula, the Drag Reduction System (DRS) – which has been controversial since its introduction in 2011 and never received a warm welcome across the sporting world – will be scrapped. However, to improve overtaking prospects, the new car is also designed to reduce drag and feature active aerodynamics, with the front and rear wings opening up on the straights to increase speed but closing when cornering to generate downforce. There will also be a power-boosting system that draws energy from energy recovered by the car that can be used to pursue overtakes.
The new engine rules, as they are known, have already proven popular with manufacturers. Six teams will compete in 2026 – in addition to the current Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and Alpine, Honda and Audi will also join, while Ford will work with Red Bull Powertrain.
Nikolas Tombazis, FIA technical director for single-seater racing, described the purpose of the car as “lighter, more powerful and more focused on driving skills”.
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“Through this set of regulations, the FIA is committed to developing a new generation of cars that are fully in line with the DNA of Formula One,” he added. “Cars are lightweight, extremely fast and agile, but still at the cutting edge of technology, and to achieve this we are working on the so-called ‘agile car’ concept.”
How specific parts of the regulations will work is yet to be clarified, such as the use of manual override of electric assist, its duration, or how often it should be used during a lap or race.
More details are expected to be revealed during this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, but full regulations won’t be released until they are approved by the World Motorsport Council later this month.
