F1 set to support struggling engine manufacturers for 2026?

Scheduled to come into force in less than a year, the 2026 regulation of Formula 1 Will it ever reach a consensus? Since the start of the season, and more specifically since the Bahrain Grand Prix, team principals have been questioned numerous times on the subject. Difficulties encountered, financial obstacles, engine operation, distribution of hybrid technology... The question marks are still alive.

As the new technical regulations are approaching, the fear is similar to that of 2014. While Mercedes is widely expected to be the engine manufacturer most advanced in its understanding and mastery of the engine being introduced next year, F1 and the FIA ​​do not seem inclined to observe a new outrageous domination.

This Thursday, Nikolas Tombazis, category director car of the FIA, and Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, chaired a new meeting at the Geneva offices. Although no concrete measures emerged, the delay of some engine manufacturers now appears to be a reality that the governing bodies must address.

Too much imbalance feared in F1 from 2026?

"The F1 Commission discussed in principle improvements to the energy management strategy for 2026, as well as measures to address the financial issues that may be faced by power unit manufacturers experiencing either poor performance or significant reliability issues in 2026. All of these topics will be discussed in further detail among specialists from the appropriate advisory committees." can be read in the FIA ​​press release published Thursday evening.

In other words, is Formula 1 heading towards a rebalancing of the forces present? Without anticipating a strict equalization of performance between the teams, assistance given to the most lagging engine manufacturers would indeed suggest significant gaps at this stage of development.

Still under construction as May 2025 approaches, the project surrounding the great upheaval of 2026 is divisive. In Bahrain, Andrea Stella (McLaren), recalled the importance of the unity of the teams involved in this search for improvement of the rule. “Let’s define the technical challenge exactly and solve it. Let's all work together for the sake of the sport, which is born when we have a good product. I think we can have a good product in 2026. We just have to work towards that."

However, while internal tests are multiplying for the stables, the disagreements recently displayed between Toto wolff and Christian Horner on the possibility of redefining the operation of the engines for the coming season suggest that the challenge remains significant. In light of Thursday's press release, the time needed by the final decision-makers on this matter may well be running out.

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