The current generation of Formula 1 cars weighs at least 798 kilograms. The trend towards ever heavier cars has been going against the grain for many drivers and fans for a long time, which is why the FIA and Formula 1 finally want lighter cars again.
“We need a lighter car,” said FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem in an exclusive interview. “It will be difficult to achieve, but everyone wants it,” emphasizes the 61-year-old.
“I come from motorsport, where lighter cars are safer and don’t use as much fuel,” he explains, adding: “So I push because I come from rallying, where there’s nothing worse than having a heavy car. “
The former rally driver, who won numerous championships during his career, believes that lighter cars would also be “better” for Formula 1. However, it will be difficult to make today’s complex cars lighter again.
Domenicali: Heavy weight of Formula 1 cars unnatural
Because technology in particular has made cars heavier and heavier. While the minimum weight was 595 kilograms in 1995, the cars are now more than 200 kilograms heavier due to things like hybrid engines, halo and other safety systems.
Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali also reveals that the cars should be lighter again with the new regulations from 2026: “One of the points that has been discussed again and again is the weight,” says the Italian.
The current high weight is “not really in the nature of Formula 1,” says Domenicali, who explains that the topic “for the future” is on the agenda. For Mercedes driver George Russell, this is also a safety issue.
“We’re always making these cars safer,” explains Russell, who is one of the directors of the Drivers’ Union (GPDA). At the same time, accidents would become more and more dangerous as Formula 1 cars weighed more.
Russell: Heavy weight has several disadvantages
“If you drive an 800 or 900 kilogram car at the same speed at the beginning of a race, there is a bigger impact than 15 years ago when the car only weighed 650 kilograms,” explains the Mercedes driver.
“I’m sure there are analyzes to find the right balance because I don’t know where the line is drawn,” he says, adding: “You get to a point where you cross that line, that too heavy is not safer.”
Quite apart from that, “the performance at low speeds is not great with the current cars,” says Russell, for whom it would be desirable in every respect to make the cars lighter again in the future.
However, it remains to be seen whether this will also succeed.