The F1 2026 technical rules they still hold sway, between those who promote them and those who reject them outright. In the middle, there are those who do not allow themselves to be caught up in the hysteria and propose ideas for improvement which can perhaps be debated as early as 28 June, when the regulatory package arrives on the desks of the World Motorsport Council. The Council will have to ratify the text or send it back to the technical commission for any changes.
The technical director of Williams, Pat Fry, a man with vast experience, suggested that the FIA should adopt a modular approach to overcome some difficulties that emerged from the draft regulations presented on the eve of the Canadian Grand Prix.
In recent years, cars have become increasingly heavier and larger in size, which has not contributed to making overtaking easier, especially on some types of track. The 2026 F1 regulations aim to address this issue, committing to a 30kg reduction in overall weight.
However, the new rules relating to engines provide for a weight increase of around 30 kg. This means that the total weight loss should be around 60 kg. According to Fry, this is a rather serious problem.
The engineer believes that the numbers provided by the FIA are very forced, because no one, in fact and with increasingly severe leak tests, will be able to reduce the weight of the frames by 60 kg even in the presence of smaller dimensions. Making a mechanical vehicle slim down to this extent would entail expenses that, today, with the budget cap which will become even more restrictive, it is almost impossible to put into construction.
F1 2026: weight reduction in gradual steps
Fry therefore proposes setting thresholds to be reached year after year. You need to set a difficult but still achievable goal and then gradually lower it. This is the concrete solution that would help put an end to long faces.
Fry, while remaining confident that over time Formula One will catch up target, believes that the lap times scheduled for 2026 are a drastic step backwards. The F1 cars of the imminent future could actually be slower than the Formula 2 cars on some tracks.
It is estimated that on certain tracks the time could increase by 12 or 13 seconds. An increase that is frightening, because it would distort the very idea of F1. Time is running out, decision makers are called upon to decide on definitive rules which will be possible to work on in just five months. To this day, the full text is still an idea shrouded in fog.
Crediti foto: F1
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