P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Red Bull boss has aired a major warning ahead of a big rule change for 2026.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes F1 teams will face a significant financial challenge to meet the new weight limit for the 2026 season, with cars required to weigh 724kg, a reduction of 76kg from the 2025-spec machines. The aim is to make the cars lighter and more nimble compared to the current bulky models, as safety features like the halo and complex power units have increased the cars’ weight in recent years. While cars can weigh up to 734kg without penalty, teams are expected to optimize weight to gain a competitive edge as each 10kg represents about 0.35s in lap time. Horner highlighted the immense cost involved in saving weight, emphasizing the difficulty all teams will face in adjusting to the new regulations and achieving the minimum weight requirement. The transition to lighter cars will pose a considerable challenge for the teams in the upcoming F1 seasons.
