Nikolas Tombazis has moved to calm concerns from drivers about the sport’s upcoming 2026 regulations, insisting that many of the criticisms being voiced are premature and based on incomplete information.
Charles Leclerc has admitted the 2026 car is "not the most enjoyable" to drive on the simulator, though he remains hopeful it will improve before hitting the track.
Max Verstappen has expressed caution over the regs' shift as well, with Lance Stroll being more vocal.
After his first simulator run, he labelled the direction "a bit sad," arguing F1 risks becoming "less of a racing championship" and more of a battery science contest.
'Comments are premature: Product not yet ready'
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, the FIA’s single-seater chief explained that the energy management system is still being refined ahead of its debut.
“All the noise that has arisen around the regulations is mainly concentrated on energy management,” Tombazis said.
Tombazis expects further refinements before the start of the 2026 season to ensure smoother energy flow and avoid scenarios where cars slow down unexpectedly on the straights or behave unnaturally.
“That’s why many of the comments about how the cars behave are premature. The product is not ready yet.”
He also stressed that simulator running can give drivers only a limited snapshot of the car’s development.
“The drivers sitting in the simulator often don’t know what’s being done or what we’re discussing with the teams. They often only have a snapshot in mind.
'F1's essentials to racing will remain untouched'
The Greek engineer underlined that the core racing challenge will remain intact.
“We are working on a good mix. There is no interest in letting Formula 1 degenerate into a chess game of the best energy strategies. Nor should only the accelerator pedal and brake decide.
"We’re talking about the best drivers in the world. A top driver has to be able to do that.”
However, Tombazis says the fundamentals of racing will still reign.
“The main task will definitely remain to brake at the right point, drive around the corner as fast as possible and accelerate optimally.”
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