P1racenews AI automatic summary:
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has rejected a major concern surrounding the 2026 F1 regulations by revealing how much slower the new machines are expected to be.
According to FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis, the 2026 F1 cars are expected to be initially one to two-and-a-half seconds slower per lap. With the upcoming overhaul of both chassis and power unit regulations, there is significant anticipation for what the new era of Formula 1 will bring. Concerns have been raised about the impact of the new rules, especially regarding the speed of the cars compared to the current models, but Tombazis is surprised by the attention this issue has garnered. Despite some fears that the new cars might be as slow as F2 machinery, Tombazis has dismissed such claims. He believes that variations in lap times have occurred throughout F1 history and that slight differences do not make a car unattractive for racing. Ultimately, the driver can feel the difference in speed, while the difference may not be easily noticeable from the outside.
