Nikolas Tombazis has clarified the FIA’s stance on the 2026 F1 technical regulations, once again addressing the controversial topic of electric propulsion
The 2026 sporting and technical regulations continue to spark debate. While the meeting on April 20th between Team Principals and the FIA seemed to have restored some calm to the paddock—with several updates applied to the rules in effect from this season—uncertainty remains.
Despite the fact that much is still to be seen, with Miami designated as the first true litmus test for turning this season around, doubts persist regarding the decisions made at the start of the year that failed to convince the stakeholders.
“An Overly Optimistic Assessment”: Tombazis’ Statement
One of the central figures in recent weeks has undoubtedly been Nikolas Tombazis. With track action paused for over a month, the narrative has been dominated by FIA leadership. Often the subject of criticism, Tombazis himself has now expressed concerns and highlighted critical issues, reiterating his doubts about the electric component.
“We recorded a decisive push from several key stakeholders to make the electric contribution much more significant,” Tombazis stated.
“However, the real potential of this technology was likely subject to an overly optimistic assessment, and this dynamic convinced us to lean towards a 50/50 balance between the two propulsion components.”
Tombazis effectively admitted to a miscalculation in trying to bring electric power on par with the internal combustion engine (ICE) so abruptly. He then moved on to the ADUO (Aero Drag Units Offset) innovation, a topic he recently revisited: “Our priority is to offer an additional development window to those who have fallen behind; a factor we consider crucial”.
The Greek engineer explained: “This will be done without diminishing the impact of engineering excellence. Whoever designs the most high-performance power unit will maintain their competitive advantage—we have no intention of handing out free points to those playing catch-up.”
