Today, the F1 Commission will meet to discuss and potentially make changes to the regulations set to come into force next year.
An important meeting of the F1 Commission is scheduled for today to discuss — and possibly amend — a set of regulations that seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. Ongoing friction among teams and multiple simulations have raised several concerns, particularly regarding the power unit setup. F1 now fears falling short of the competitive and technical standards that the sport has consistently delivered in recent years.
As previously mentioned, the biggest doubts revolve around the power unit configuration, which under the new regulations will be split 50/50 between electric and internal combustion power. Many teams, including Ferrari and Red Bull, worry that cars could deplete their electric energy reserves by the end of the straights, forcing drivers to frequently lift off the throttle — something that could seriously impact performance and spectacle.
Today’s meeting will therefore be crucial in determining whether a revision of the energy distribution percentages will be made, or if the new rules will be confirmed in full, despite widespread concerns — even from former engineers who are no longer involved in F1. One of the teams most vocally opposed to any regulatory changes is Mercedes, which already made its position clear during a previous FIA meeting held in Bahrain.
Here’s what Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff had to say about the F1 Commission’s agenda: “Reading the F1 Commission’s agenda is almost as entertaining as some of the comments you find on Twitter about American politics. I’d really prefer not to make public statements, but it’s hard not to comment: it’s a joke. Just a week ago there was a technical meeting about the power units, and now the same issues are back on the agenda.”
On the opposite side of the argument is Red Bull, with Team Principal Christian Horner stating: “I think this is an issue we raised two years ago, but we weren’t the ones pushing for it to be included on this week’s agenda. The FIA has done its own analysis and, from what I understand, the goal is to avoid situations where drivers are forced to excessively save energy during races. That would be bad for the show and very frustrating for the drivers. We haven’t pressured or made any specific requests, but if this decision is taken in the interest of the sport, then it’s right to support it.”.
The basic idea under consideration is to reduce the electric power output during races from 350 kW to 200 kW — lowering the electric contribution from the initially planned 50% to 35%. Unsurprisingly, this proposal is opposed by Mercedes, Audi, and Honda, while Red Bull and Ferrari are more in favor. It’s a politically and sportingly awkward situation, especially considering the new regulations are set to take effect in just under a year.
