FIA insists new F1 rules will challenge, not ‘overburden’, drivers

Formula 1’s upcoming regulation overhaul has sparked concerns that drivers could face an unmanageable workload behind the wheel, but FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis insists that while the new cars will be more complex, the changes are not intended to overwhelm drivers.

The sport’s 2026 technical regulations will introduce a host of innovations, including active aerodynamics, energy management systems, and a Manual Override Mode, all of which will add layers of complexity to the driver’s role.

Initial simulator feedback from drivers has highlighted just how different the new cars will feel. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc described the next-generation machines as “very different,” while Williams’ Alex Albon warned that F1 is becoming “far more complex.”

Williams team boss James Vowles even suggested that drivers will need to adapt to a much higher workload, prompting the team to form a special group dedicated to preparing its drivers for 2026.

Tombazis, however, stressed that perceptions are premature.

“Firstly, Albon and other drivers haven’t driven the final rules yet, by definition, because they're not done yet,” he said, speaking to Motorsport.com.

"Secondly, for sure if you don't automate certain parts, there will be an increased burden on the drivers. That is true.”

Balancing Complexity with Control

The FIA is actively working to fine-tune the balance between automated systems and driver input. With the introduction of energy management per lap and active aerodynamics, drivers will need to juggle multiple variables during races.

Tombazis acknowledged the challenge but stressed that the FIA is committed to preventing an excessive burden on drivers.

“Part of the work that still needs to be done between now and the start of next season is to determine how much of that stuff will be in the background, let's say more automatic, versus how much the driver will have to control,” he explained.

“We don't want to overburden the driver with something,” he said. “But at the same time there has to be a degree of freedom, to make sure that he can attack, defend and have some of that stuff under his control.

"But there will for sure be some part of it which will be managed transparently to him, so he doesn't have to think about it when cornering or something like that.”

The FIA’s goal is to avoid two extremes.

“I think there's a balance to strike between driving like a chess game of energy management, which we don't want as one extreme, and then the other extreme where driving is just a steering wheel, a throttle pedal and a brake pedal,” said Tombazis, who was quick to add that Formula 1 must remain a challenge.

“We need to find a good way in the middle.”

Mental Bandwidth as a Differentiator

Albon recently suggested that “smart drivers” could exploit the new rules, later clarifying that he did not mean it negatively. For Tombazis, that observation reflects a truth that has long existed in F1.

“But I think smart drivers already prevail. The difference in performance that we see nowadays in F1 includes a percentage of that,” he said.

“And that’s not only now, the mental bandwidth of drivers has been a factor for the last 20 years already – also in the younger days of my career, when I was working with Schumacher for example.

"I mean, obviously he was phenomenally talented, but a big part of what set him apart was that he could also think of all these other things during a race.

“You know that amongst the current drivers there are some who seem to have a bit extra to think about other things as well, while some others have to use all their CPU to drive the car.”

Core Skills Will Still Decide

While the 2026 cars may demand more mental agility, Tombazis is confident that today’s elite drivers can rise to the task.

“These drivers are the best drivers in the world, and they have quite a high bandwidth of intellect. They can deal with certain problems,” he said.

Read also:

• FIA: Slower lap times in 2026 won’t mean less competitive racing

Ultimately, though, Tombazis believes the fundamentals of driving will remain decisive.

“There's a level of understanding they need to have of these parameters,” he said. “We think that’s part of what a top driver has to do. It's not, however, and we will make sure it isn't, the main skill.

“The main skill is still to be able to brake at the right point, to go fast around the corner, to find the limit, select the right lines, etc. That will still be the main parameter that controls who's good and who's bad. I wouldn't be able to drive the car!”

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