The FIA has eased some drivers’ worries about the proposed increase in top speed on the new 2026 Formula 1 car, citing how it will ensure “absurd risks” are avoided.
Earlier this week, the FIA released the guidelines that will be used to shape the revised technical regulations with the move towards lighter, narrower and smaller cars.
The next-generation machines will feature a 30% cut in downforce and a 55% cut in drag, which is set to make the cars slower in the corners but slippier on a straight.
However, the straight-line speed element has created concern among drivers, with GPDA director George Russell voicing that there will be evident safety implications.
Along with active aero which will increase top-end speed, the ‘Manual Override Mode’ will give drivers chasing another car an electrical boost up to speeds of 337kph.
But FIA Technical Director Jan Monchaux has clarified that the speeds won’t represent a safety risk as the governing body has the potential to limit the above devices.
“So as of today, yes, the top speed might be slightly higher than the top speed we currently have,” Monchaux said.
“But also there because we’ve heard about some concerns. It is something we are aware of.
“And we will have we will make sure and that is very important is also an important message.
“We will make sure that the top speed are not reaching levels which would be a safety concern. And we have means to do that.
“We can impact on the low drag configuration, which is opening the rear wing and the front wing by either forbidding it on given straight or reducing how much you can open.
“We will have a mean to control the top speed.
“And similarly, we see a deployment of electrical energy.
“We will have we have provision if needed to readjust where we feel is necessary to make sure achieved in reality, top speed would be fairly similar to the actual ones.
“We’re not interested in taking absurd risks and having cars going down the straight line in Monaco with 380 kph.
“This is nonsense, and it will not happen if we wouldn’t take any actions. The risk would be there, but we’re aware of it.
“And we’ll make sure once the cars are more mature, the level of simulation from the teams is also more mature.
“That’s the necessary amendment and tweaks will be done to ensure that is comparable to what we currently have. Plus minus five kph or so.”
Meanwhile, FIA Single Seator Director Nikolas Tombazis stressed that the rules were not ratified and there would be time to converse with the teams over alterations.
“We’re not in the final set of regulations yet,” Tombazis stated. “We do have quite a few things that we need to refine and discuss with the teams.
“We are fully conscious of some of the concerns of, I don’t know, level of downforce of the cars or straight-line speed.
“These are things that we class as the refinements that still need to take place.
“So, between, let’s say, the end of the month when these regulations will hopefully be published and the start of 2025 when teams can start aerodynamic development because they cannot start earlier, we do expect a reasonable amount of extra work to be done in full consultation with the teams, with FOM and everybody else.
“Hopefully, that will then lead to some refinements that will be submitted to the World Council maybe a bit later in the year and hopefully approved.”
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