FIA aims to reduce the weight of Formula 1 cars

Amid growing concerns over the escalating weight of Formula 1 cars, the sport's governing body is advocating for lighter grand prix vehicles in the upcoming rules era.

While the engine regulations for F1 have been firmly established for 2026, the chassis rules remain under deliberation as series officials contemplate the desired direction.

However, there is a consensus between F1 and the FIA that significant efforts need to be made to reduce the weight of the cars, which have reached unprecedented levels.

In the current season, the minimum weight of a car has been set at 798 kilograms, surpassing the weight by over 200 kilograms compared to the pre-2008 era when batteries, energy recovery systems, and modern safety mechanisms were introduced.

"One thing I would like to see is very clear: we need a lighter car," Mohammed Ben Sulayem told Motorsport.com.

"I believe this is better. I come from motorsport, where lighter cars are safer and they won't use the same amount of fuel.

"It will be hard to achieve, but everybody wants it. So I am pushing because I come from rallying, where nothing is worse than having a heavy car."

"One of the points that has always been a debate has been the weight," added F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

"As you know, with the hybrid engines, with the batteries, the weight is getting higher and that is something that is not really in the nature of F1.

"So, it's a topic for discussion for the future."