The FIA’s single-seater director, Nikolas Tombazis seems to minimize the impression of rules „refinements“.
Whereas followers, and most certainly drivers, attempt to make sense of the „refinements“, as the game turns into ever extra technical, counting on the enter of the engineers and boffins, versus these on the precise wheel, Tombazis has defended the adjustments whereas admitting that they aren’t the ‚revolution‘, turnaround even, that many had hoped for.
„Followers have, by and huge, been having fun with the brand new rules,“ he claims in an FIA video, „as a result of they’ve introduced nearer racing and I believe before everything we anticipate that to proceed.
„We expect that can be persevering with,“ he provides, „and clearly because the rules develop into extra mature we anticipate some groups who’re presently lagging behind to steadily catch up and have nearer and nearer racing as time goes by and because the months and years go by. In order that we anticipate to remain.
„Concerning what we see on the monitor, these adjustments aren’t revolutionary,“ he admits. „They are not going to essentially change the image that you just see. Qualifying can be extra flat-out for the drivers. Possibly you’ll understand that as you see within the digicam photographs from inside the cockpit and also you hear the tone of the ability unit, for instance, that is possibly one factor you are going to see.“
Like, FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem, Tombazis insists that the drivers, nearly all of whom have been vital of the rules, have been closely concerned in discussions over the „refinements“ and assist the adjustments.
„The place of the drivers was fairly uniform,“ he says. „They have been all pushing for some adjustments in qualifying with a purpose to, for instance, get pleasure from extra the driving, push extra, but additionally they have been pushing for us to handle sure security considerations that they had, so that they have been fairly united and their enter on this was crucial.“
Showing to dismiss hypothesis that F1, and its homeowners, have been calling the photographs, decided that the 50/50 formulation is the way in which ahead, he says: „We, in fact, have a really established course of whereby the FIA along with the groups or the producers talk about these adjustments in varied conferences and talk about the right way to enhance all the pieces, the right way to enhance the game. Clearly when the rules are new, like we’ve got in 2026, that is a barely extra intense course of of debate than possibly when the rules had just a few years of maturity.
„There is a authorities course of to approve rules,“ he continues. „The FIA can’t unilaterally change rules. They should have a vote involving both the Method 1 groups or the ability unit producers who – let’s not neglect – spend tens of millions and tens of millions within the sport and subsequently have a proper to have a phrase.“
Lastly, for these nonetheless fearing that the security elements haven’t been addressed, he says: „Security is one thing we will not compromise. Security is one thing that, by the governance, the FIA has the fitting and even the duty to behave even unilaterally.
„So any security measures we in fact talk about with everyone with a purpose to hear the nice views of very skilled folks however in the end we, FIA, can determine to take security measures if we really feel that is vital.“
