F1 teams meet with FIA over safety concerns
The final pre-season Formula 1 test in Bahrain is being overshadowed by safety concerns related to new 2026 regulations. All 11 teams are meeting with the FIA to address unresolved issues, including the impact of a new overtake mode and revised race start protocols. The discussions are taking place as teams conduct their final preparations ahead of the season opener in Australia.
- A primary safety concern revolves around race starts, where the removal of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat (MGU-H) from the new power units has reintroduced significant turbo lag. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has warned this could lead to slow getaways or stalled cars, creating a high risk of collisions on the grid. - The new "Manual Override Mode," which replaces the Drag Reduction System (DRS), allows a chasing driver within one second of a car ahead to deploy an extra 0.5 megajoules of electrical energy on the following lap. This system provides a sustained boost, with the 350kW from the MGU-K being available up to 337km/h, compared to tapering off at 290km/h in standard mode. - The 2026 cars will feature active aerodynamics with movable front and rear wings, including a low-drag "X-Mode" for straights. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has called the potential use of this mode at the start of a race a "recipe for disaster," citing the danger of 22 cars launching with significantly reduced downforce in a tight pack. - Another flagged issue is the potential for increased "lift and coast" driving, where drivers would have to get off the throttle earlier on straights to harvest the required 9 megajoules of energy per lap for the more powerful MGU-K. This could create large speed differentials between cars, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions. - The new power units feature a near 50/50 split between the internal combustion engine (400kW) and electrical power (350kW). This marks a dramatic increase in electrification, with the new MGU-K being almost three times more powerful than its predecessor. - To create more "nimble" cars, the regulations mandate a 30kg reduction in the minimum weight, dropping from 798kg to 768kg. However, technical directors like Red Bull's Pierre Waché have confirmed that many teams are finding it challenging to meet this lower weight target. - The discussions are being held under the purview of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a former 14-time Middle East Rally Champion who was first elected in 2021 and began a second four-year term in December 2025.
