P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Rule changes to ensure a ban on F1 teams developing the main areas of their 2026 cars until the start of 2025 have now been ratified. Here’s what that covers, what’s still allowed, and how it will be policed
As of January 1, 2025, teams in Formula 1 are prohibited from developing the main areas of their 2026 cars until the start of 2025. This ban has been ratified by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council and is enforced through restrictions on windtunnel and CFD testing. From December 1 of this year until January 1, 2025, windtunnel work is only allowed using scale models that comply with the 2023, 2024, or 2025 technical regulations. Similarly, CFD work can only be done using geometries that comply with the 2021-2025 technical regulations. However, there is an exception for the development of brake system components and associated test rigs. Teams are already setting up working groups for the 2026 season, but any work done before December 1 is acceptable considering the lack of defined chassis rules. The regulations also prohibit using car geometries derived from drafts or published versions of the 2026 technical regulations for testing. Overall, this ban ensures that teams can only allocate significant development resources to their 2026 cars in the final 12 months leading up to the season.
