FIA insists planned 2026 F1 weight reduction target is ‘feasible’ amid concerns

The FIA has insisted that the targeted 30kg weight reduction on the all-new 2026 Formula 1 car is a “feasible target” despite concerns from several drivers and teams.

Last week, the FIA published the guidelines that will shape the revised technical regulations, which included confirmation the next-gen cars will be lighter and smaller.

With the weight having escalated to 798kg on the current ground effect machines, the FIA has settled on a cut to 768kg as a sensible initial move in the right direction.

However, Fernando Alonso expressed that the increased electric reliance on the updated engine formula would make it “impossible” to achieve the intended ambition.

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Meanwhile, Williams Team Principal James Vowles reiterated his credence in Canada that all 10 teams would be unable to reach that number from the outset in 2026.

But although the FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis has accepted it will be a “challenging” goal to hit, he’s convinced that the specified number is achievable.

“Well we are quite determined to reduce the weight of the cars,” Tombazis said.

“We’ve been working on a range of assumptions based on work that Jan [Monchaux] has been doing in collaboration with the teams.

“And we’ve got a range of areas where we know weight will go up. And we’ve got a range of areas where we know weight will go down.

“And what we have as a target is based on a challenging, but what we feel is [a] feasible target.”

However, amid Vowles’ aforementioned admission, Tombazis has disclosed that the FIA will be continuing to hold talks with the teams to assess possible alterations.

“Clearly, we’re going to be still asking teams for some estimates about the weight savings they can make and so on,” he added. “And we’re going through that process.

“But we are pretty determined to reduce the weight in a significant way, which is the first time this is happening, I think, in Formula 1 since probably the 80s or something.”

When asked whether growing rumours that the 80kg allowance on the drivers’ side had been eradicated from the regulations, Tombazis responded: “No, it’s not correct.

“The discussion has been whether the allowable weight for the driver should be 80 or 82 kilos.

“And the feeling was that 80 could penalize a few of the slightly heavier drivers. And we are going to be going to 82 kilos.”

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, who began in F1 when the cars weighed less than 600kg, voiced that the planned reduction for 2026 is not as much as it could have been.