The FIA wants to establish a rigid weight limit for 2026

The single-seaters are becoming heavier and heavier due to new standards. For several seasons, the teams have been asking the FIA to raise the minimum weight. From 2026, the Federation no longer wishes to engage in bargaining.

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Weight constitutes a real constraint for the teams. Over the decades, single-seaters have continued to widen, resulting in a simultaneous increase in their weight. This increase is largely due to the introduction of hybrid engines. Since their arrival in 2014, these new power units integrate very heavy batteries, new safety measures such as the halo, and protections against shocks.

In 2008, single-seaters weighed on average 585 kg. However, with the reform of 2022, single-seaters can now not weigh less than 798 kg.

Drastic weight reduction

Throughout various reforms, the FIA has tended to increase the minimum weight. Although the teams strive to have the lightest single-seaters possible, the addition of new elements weights down the vehicles. Faced with these constraints, the stables have regularly pleaded for an upward revision of the minimum weight.

With the year 2026 in sight, the FIA wants to change the negotiation trend adopted by the different teams. The Federation aims to specify a minimum weight and to stick to it. This position is part of the plan to reduce the weight of single-seaters by 40 to 50 kg during the resetting of the regulation.

« It is obvious that it will always be a challenge for teams to reach this low weight », conceded Nikolas Tombazis, head of single-seater matters at the FIA. « Their development will not be easy on this aspect, but we will respect the weight limit that we will impose. We will not increase the weight anymore. The teams will simply have to redouble their efforts to reduce it as much as possible. »

Avoiding a spending war

The debate on these very heavy single-seaters has been fueling discussions for several seasons. With the popularization of urban circuits featuring very sharp turns, cars need to slim down and lose weight. During the Monaco Grand Prix, known for its overtaking difficulties, the new single-seaters make it particularly difficult to gain an advantage over an opponent during a race.

That’s why the idea of completely abolishing the minimum weight was discarded. Moreover, according to Nikolas Tombazis, teams could embark on a spending war.

« We believe that completely eliminating the weight limit would result in an endless battle to reduce weight », justified the Greek engineer. « It could have unforeseen consequences. So, what we are putting in place for 2026 will be a weight limit that will remain unchanged thereafter. We will not give in to this sort of ongoing bargaining for a few kilos, where the teams say: “you have added electric, let’s add two kilos” or “the tires are a little heavier, let’s add a few more kilos”. We will no longer adopt this approach. The teams will have to work up to this limit, and I think some might be a bit overweight in 2026. »

This inflexible weight limit will be imposed from 2026, season when the regulations will be reset. Teams will be able to start aerodynamic testing for this reform from 2025.

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