F1 News: 2026 Car Development Delayed After Formula 1 Commission Meets In Abu Dhabi
The F1 Commission met in Abu Dhabi last weekend and agreed that “no work may be carried out on the development of a car” for 2026 before January 1, 2025. This limitation is expected to apply to the current generation of cars as well.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 prompted the sport to push the rules for 2021 to 2022. In addition, to better manage costs during trying times, it was decided that no wind tunnel or CFD work (Computational Fluid Dynamics) would be carried out before the start of 2021.
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Similar constraints are expected to be in place, restricting teams to activities and research that could be described as "pre-development" work. This encompasses discussions within team working groups that are already established and focused on preparations for 2026.
Commencing early development in anticipation of new regulations can provide a significant advantage to a team. This agreement places increased importance on determining the optimal timing to cease development until 2025, allowing a team to redirect full focus, time, and resources toward the new 2026 car.
In addition, the F1 commission has planned changes for the 2024 season, which are mentioned below.
Sprint Changes For 2024
F1 is considering changes to its sprint weekend format, which has undergone adjustments twice in the past four seasons. Currently, the format involves qualifying for the Grand Prix on Friday, with Saturday dedicated to qualifying for the sprint race and the sprint race itself, while Sunday remains the standalone Grand Prix day.
However, discussions have been ongoing about moving sprint qualifying to Friday and conducting the sprint race on Saturday before holding the grand prix qualifying later on the same day.
While the F1 commission has expressed "overall support" for this idea, additional discussions are needed to refine the details. These changes may also involve additional adjustments, such as introducing more points or incorporating a reverse-grid element.
Spray Guard Development In 2024
The F1 Commission has discussed and approved various technical matters. In the coming spring, additional testing will be conducted on the wet weather package aimed to minimize the spray emitted by cars.
The test will involve a cover design that fully covers the tire, aiming to validate the wheel cover concept and provide insights to shape the project's future direction. An initial test of this concept was conducted early this year however, it didn't yield the desired results.