The FIA WMSC introduced a new Operational Regulations from 2026 onward for F1, as updates were made to both regulations in 2025 and 2026.
Not a lot was done on F1 side in the post-season FIA WMSC meet taking place in Rwanda on Wednesday. The team reflected on the 2024 success, while looking ahead to not just 2025 but also the larger 2026 season, which will kick-start the new era.
Starting with the 2025 changes, they made minor update to the Sporting and Technical Regulations to include ‘Heat Hazard’ ruling for cooling aid to drivers. The Financial Regulations saw changes to Sustainability Initiatives which is excluded from the Cost Cap.
More fine-tuning was made to the 2026 Technical Regulations, as the FIA introduced a new ‘Operational Regulations’ from 2026 onward which will include several points under the Sporting Regulations to regulate the activities of the F1 team outside the track.
Here’s what was summarised –
The FIA President, together with the President and CEO of FOM, Stefano Domenicali, reflected on a hugely successful season in 2024, which was the longest in the history of the sport. The productivity of the single-seater pyramid, which stretches from Karting through to Formula 1, was highlighted, with no fewer than four drivers stepping up from the FIA Formula 2 Championship into Formula 1 in 2025.
Minor updates to the 2025 Sporting and Technical Regulations were approved by the World Council, including the finalisation of ‘Heat Hazard’ regulations which mandates the use of a driver cooling kit under certain, extreme weather conditions. This device was developed in collaboration between the FIA and the F1 teams over the past year.
A number of updates to the 2025 and 2026 Financial Regulations were approved to include an expanded definition of ‘Sustainability Initiatives’ that are excluded from the cost cap to encourage the continued push towards greater environmental sustainability. Updates to the 2026 Sporting Regulations were updated to reflect changes already approved for 2025, in addition to the adoption of gender-neutral language throughout.
The 2026 Technical Regulations have also been refined, ahead of teams being able to work on the aerodynamics for the first time beginning on 1 January 2025. A new section of regulations is being created for 2026 called Operational Regulations, aiming to regulate certain F1 Team activities that take place away from the race weekend. For this initial version of these regulations, certain elements that have historically been included in the Sporting Regulations have been transferred, such as limitations to aerodynamic testing, power unit testing and mandatory shutdown periods.
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