F1 team bosses speak more on 2026 season regulations and what could be difficult for them especially in terms of power units.
The F1 2026 season sees a lot of rule changes especially on the power unit side. A focal one being around hybrid power which will see an increase from 120kW to 350kW with the removal of MGU-H. Also, There will be a ‘drop in’ 100% sustainable fuels which will be introduced and used. This means there will be no new fossil fuel carbon being released.
There has been talks about the F1 2026 regulations where Christian Horner terms them as Frankenstein, while Toto Wolff downplays the saying. The engine game could be strong again like it was when the hybrid power units were introduced.
Here’s what more of F1 team bosses said –
Mike Krack: “Yeah, it’s interesting that these comments come up now. I think the working groups are on it already for a while, more than a year already, and we’re working on it. I think we need to be careful. Some of the regulations that we have in ‘26 were instrumental for people to come back, Honda in this case, or for others to join. So we cannot dilute them now just because we have another look at it a bit later. So, all in all, I think it is important that we work together as teams with the FIA, with F1, to find the best possible solution for these new tasks, new regulations with a more equal split between the different energies. I think time will tell. There is working groups going on, there was one on Thursday I understand, so I’m quite confident that the will find a proper product.”
Zak Brown: “Yeah, ultimately not concerned because everyone in Formula 1 is extremely smart and so whatever the final regulations are, they’ll figure it out. We have a great partner in Mercedes Benz who have a fantastic history in the sport, so they do keep us in the loop. Obviously, we have an interest in making sure that the regulations are fit for purpose, but I have no doubt they will be, not even on the power unit side but the chassis side as well and there’s still work in progress. We’ve got a great partnership with Mercedes, so pretty hard to imagine them not getting it right, regardless of wherever the final rules shake out. And it’s always a combination, isn’t it, of driver, chassis and power unit to put out a competitive car. So I don’t think that’ll be any different, whether that was this regulation or next regulation or the regulation after that.”
James Vowles: “I think that summed it up well. There is active discussion, as Mike said, there was a TAC on Thursday, where this is being talked about continuously. And we’ll arrive at a solution. The direction of travel is quite clear: moving to sustainable fuels, moving to an engine formula that is prescribed. Now we just need to put a package around it that is good for the show but the direction of movement is one where we’re working together. I think in any power unit regulation change you can win or you can lose out as a result of it. Mercedes did a very, very good job across the 2013/’14 changes, an example of that. Probably if you go the years before then again, there were power unit suppliers that were slightly above but it did also settle out fairly quickly afterwards, well into a uniform formula. I think Zak said it well, we have a great relationship with Mercedes and a long history behind it and they’ve been strong in the sport for 20 years. My view on things is that whoever you go with, you will forge your alliance and I think it will settle down to a very sensible position very quickly shortly afterwards. And it would be wrong to say the chassis still doesn’t have a large impact on it because I still think in the regulations, as raw as they are at the moment, there’s lots of potential to do better or worse than your competitors.”
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