The FIA World Council has approved the changes studied with the teams for 2025 and 2026: cooling kits for the drivers in case of extreme heat and constraints for the bottom and wings
The FIA World Automobile Council, meeting in Rwanda on the occasion of the awards ceremony for the championships recognized by the Federation, approved some changes to the rules for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, revealing a new concept for the next generation of cars.
cooling suits in f1
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Among the main innovations for next year are the solutions to be adopted in case of extreme heat. Should the outside temperature exceed 30.5°C, drivers will be allowed to wear a “cooling kit” and the maximum weight allowed will increase by 5kg for the entire weekend. The hoped-for decision comes following the events of the 2023 Qatar GP, when several riders were forced to the medical center exhausted by heat and humidity. After the race, the Federation had thus accelerated the study process of the new “refrigerated” suits, approving a development program in concert with the F1 teams. Some drivers, including Ferrari driver Leclerc, then tested the solution in the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi, giving the green light for final approval.
mini drs
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There is also news for the 2025 technical regulations, where the width of the gaps between the two flaps that make up the mobile wing has been reduced, thus prohibiting the “mini DRS” designed by McLaren and protagonist in Oscar Piastri’s victory in Baku. As for the wing, once the mobile flap is closed it will have to return to the exact starting position, as intermediate positioning is not permitted.
artificial intelligence in f1
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With the aim of improving the decision-making process of stewards, the Federation then chose to implement the use of artificial intelligence. The technology will thus allow the commissioners to compare the episodes with what happened in the past, suggesting a fairer and more consistent decision with previous ones. The use of AI will also allow the automatic detection of “standard” violations, such as track limits, with the aim of gradually extending the innovations to all FIA championships. From 2026 the regulation will then consist of a new section, the fourth, with the aim of regulating the activities carried out by the teams outside the race weekends. It will therefore not be surprising if the Federation opts for a new crackdown on the already very limited aerodynamic tests or engine bench tests.
new f1 aerodynamics
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Lastly, the “legislative” body of the Federation has adopted some technical updates for the next regulatory revolution, spreading a concept of what the cars will look like when they debut in 2026. The new “model”, which will serve as the basis for the study of the next generation of single-seaters starting from January 1, 2025, was designed by directly involving the teams. In detail, the 2026 F1 cars will be able to exploit the effects of active aerodynamics thanks to the two mobile flaps on the front wing, the incidence of which will vary depending on whether they are used on a straight line or in curves. The front wing itself was then anchored to the nose with two support fins so as to prevent excessive rotation, also featuring a new flow diverter in the external part of the side bulkhead. As for the rear, the wings could be made up of three elements, as an alternative to the two already foreseen by the current regulations. Finally, the bottom area has been completely revolutionized where, to increase downforce, Nicholas Tombazis’ staff has studied a flat pavement characterized by six new flow diverters and a longer and higher diffuser as well as the addition of a further component to the badgeboard which joins the two already present in the previous renderings.
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