FIA’s Tombazis lays out the case for ‘more exciting racing’ In 2026

Formula 1’s 2026 regulation reset has been billed as a revolution – slightly lighter cars, smarter aerodynamics, beefed-up hybrid power, sustainable fuels, and an end to classic DRS.

But according to FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis, the real headline isn’t technical at all: it’s the promise of “more exciting racing.”

Tombazis believes the new ruleset will fundamentally reshape how cars battle on track, starting with a major improvement in how well they can follow one another.

“Clearly, with new regulations one expects initially a slightly bigger spread of the grid, but we do expect from an aerodynamic point of view, cars to be able to follow each other much closer than now,” he said.

“The wake characteristics are much improved and we feel we've learned a lot from the 2022 cars to implement a lot of these learnings for the aerodynamic regulations this year.”

Cleaner Wake, Closer Chase

The FIA’s data backs it up. Tombazis explained how the ability to follow eroded over the current rule cycle – but will rebound in 2026.

“Let me say, first of all, that the 2022 cars started off with a significant improvement in their wake characteristics,” he explained.

“I don’t remember the exact numbers, but the loss of downforce at 20 metres behind went from about 50% on the previous generation of cars to about 80 or 85% to start with on the 2022 cars.

“And then that gradually decayed during the regulation cycle to what it is now, which again I’m not entirely sure – but we are probably talking more like 70%.

“This is why we see that cars are currently struggling a bit more now following each other than in 2022, albeit still better than it was in 2021. We believe that the start of the new cycle will be more like 90% or something like that. So we believe it’s going to be better than it’s ever been.”

Goodbye DRS, Hello Manual Override

One of the boldest changes for 2026 is the move away from traditional DRS. Instead of a flap opening on the rear wing, cars will activate dual-wing “active aero” on the straights – and the trailing driver will be handed a new overtaking weapon: manual override mode, an electric energy boost to replace slipstream-plus-DRS passes.

“The transition from using DRS to energy as the tool to assist overtaking – that's all going to change the nature and make it more unpredictable,” Tombazis said.

“That, together with the different aerodynamics, I think are going to make racing ultimately more exciting.”

A New Layer of Strategy (and Chaos)

With power units introducing a “bigger electric component,” strategy won’t just be about battery size – it will be about how drivers use it. Even identical engines could produce wildly different lap times depending on energy deployment.

Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan explained the implications:

“If a driver deploys his energy differently and you're a little bit inefficient in your use around the lap, an overtake is actually quite practical or feasible,” he said.

“So, I think the scatter of car usage and performance could be greater than we currently have. And as such, the racing will be different in that we may not be as closed up as we currently are – but we'll see.

“And then you've got the uncertainty of completely new cars, new electronics, and will everybody make it to the end? We'll find out. It's unpredictable at the moment.”

Unpredictability, closer racing, and cars built to battle – not a bad recipe for the next era of Formula 1.

Read also: Alpine’s Nielsen lifts lid on compressed, high-stakes winter for F1 teams

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook