Audi Formula 1 Chief Mattia Binotto has stated his belief that teams’ quick reaction to and development of cars will see successful interpretation of 2026’s new rulebook.
F1 begins its new, radical and further electrified era next year, with the German marque making its debut in the sport.
Former Ferrari Team Principal Binotto has been overseeing its progress amid its transition from Sauber, and will join Cadillac as the two debutant teams for 2026.
Whilst there have been many rumours, whispers and murmurs about which team or OEM has so far made the most of the new technical regulations, there is ultimately a sense of heading into the unknown for many.
Binotto believes that there is no outright favourite for 2026 right now, and said that whichever team that responds to the demands of the rule changes quickest will be the ones to benefit.
“I don’t think we can judge who will be the best team by the start of next season,” he said. “It’s more how the team will be capable of reacting later.
“Because whatever will be the level of competition and the level of performance of each single team, for me, the best team will be the ones that are capable of reacting quickly, and developing quickly.”
Aero changes will also prove crucial in F1 2026 – Binotto
Binotto was in charge at Ferrari the last time F1 saw a regulation change in 2022, and whilst the fastest at the beginning, the team was unable to sustain that.
The Italian has explained that teams must not lose sight of the other matters at hand for 2026, which include changes to the aerodynamic parameters as well as the new 50/50 hybrids.
“There will be a significant change as well on the aero and on the vehicle side,” he said. “So, it’s combining two effects, both the power unit and the chassis and the aero.
“We believe that the parameters, or the variables that before were important for performance, may be different tomorrow. So, we believe that with the new regulations, what counted before to go fast could be different.
“So, it means that as well, all the tools that were back in the factory, the simulations that were fine-tuned for the current regulations, need to be completely reviewed for the next one, because it’s not the same parameters that will have the same level of importance.
“I think that change is something which we are not used to. And it may be that at the start of next season, some of the teams would have done it properly, some others not, because the tools are not yet properly tuned.”
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