Photo: Race Pictures

FIA detail reasons for dropping proposed mid-cycle rule change

09:59, 15 Dec

Updated: 10:02, 15 Dec

byTobia Elia

FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis revealed that changes to the regulations for the ground-effect generation of cars had been considered.

“We tried (to change the rules) but we didn't have enough support among the teams”

- Nikolas Tombazis

However, the plan didn’t go ahead as it failed to gain enough support from the F1 teams, rendering any attempt to change a regulation—whose main goal was to allow drivers to follow each other more closely and reduce the effects of dirty air—fruitless.

“We tried (to change the rules) but we didn't have enough support among the teams,” the Greek engineer told selected media.

“It needs governance to change regulations during a cycle - and therefore it means that a large number of teams need to support certain changes. It's not just us wanting to do something.”

Photo: Race Pictures

At the start of 2022, the dirty air effect seemed to have eased, but over time, with the increasingly extensive development of the cars, the phenomenon returned, once again making life difficult for the drivers.

“I think we've made a significant step in the right direction on most of these aims, but I certainly wouldn't claim total success on everything, so I wouldn't give us an A star. I would give us a B or a C, or something like that,” Tombazis finally added.

Two changes for stewards announced by FIA for 2026 season

The FIA recently revealed a series of updates to the International Sporting Code during its General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, including two key changes affecting stewards.

From now on, stewards will have the authority to review incidents on their own initiative in FIA World Championships, as well as in Formula 2 and Formula 3, rather than only acting after a so-called ‘right of review.’

In the same way, they can now take such action independently upon "discovering significant and significant and relevant new element which was unavailable to them at the time of their decision."

Read the full story here.

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