FIA targeting to shed 50kgs weight in F1 cars by 2026

F1 is just over a couple of years away from the 2026 regulation changes, which will usher the sport into a new era. The rule changes will see a radical change in the power unit side, with the FIA now announcing major goals for the chassis of the new single-seaters.

Nikolas Tombazis, the Director of Single Seaters at FIA recently revealed that they are targeting to make the 2026 cars shorter and narrower and are also aiming weight reduction of 50kg.

In an interview with the Italian publication Motorsport.com, Tombazis shed light upon the work the governing body is doing on the 2026 chassis regulations as he said:

"With the dimensions of the wheels, which will be narrower, plus with the rear wing and the car in general, we aim to reduce the weight of the cars by around 50kg," he said.

"So, it will be possible to see smaller single-seater cars: shorter and narrower. But we are talking about solutions that still need to be discussed."

The weight of an F1 car has gradually increased ever since the switch to hybrid power units, with the current minimum weight of an F1 car standing at 1,759 lbs (798kg).

Tombazis also touched upon the radical changes in the power units as he claimed that the increased output from the hybrid recovery system would make up for the loss of aerodynamic load due to the change in the dimensions of the car.

"With the car on a diet, we will be able to reduce the cornering speeds a bit. Being lighter, they will go faster in a straight line, but will generate less aerodynamic load. So, we will need to increase the hybrid's energy recovery to ensure adequate lap performance."

He also cleared any concerns that were earlier raised by Red Bull about the new hybrid system as he suggested that their latest simulations have "collected very positive developments."

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Pierre Gasly raises concerns about F1's overcrowded paddocks

With F1's boom in recent years, and its drivers turning into global superstars, the paddock keeps attracting more fans, which provides an opportunity to get up close with the drivers.

Pierre Gasly at Silverstone

However, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly admits that the situation is now out of control, as the drivers are finding it difficult to navigate through the crowded paddocks.

"I love fans, and I always love to stop by and give some time. But then it's obviously our work environment," Gasly said to Autosport. "Sometimes it's a bit tricky to get around and make sure that we are on time for the commitments that we got because it's minute by minute, and it's clearly one of the busiest pitlanes."

Gasly added:

"It's very enjoyable, but sometimes it's even people knocking at the door inside the hospitality, you wonder how they got there. So [people need to] give the space we need to work properly."

Multiple drivers have complained about the same in the past, especially during last year's Mexican GP, where Formula 1 will be heading next month.