FIA planning technical directives for F1 cars that have gone in the wrong direction in terms of aero performance loss while following

The FIA's director, Nikolas Tombazis, recently spoke in length about the new technical directive TD018, which will be applied to F1 starting with the 2023 F1 Singapore GP.

Furthermore, he also shed some light on how the governing body is trying to shape the next generation of cars for 2026 regulation, especially focusing on aerodynamic performance when cars follow each other.

The aerodynamic performance fluctuation can be due to countless reasons: the shape of each and every car, it's weight, it's size, etc. Tombazis touches on most of these topics as he discusses the new technical directive and the future of these single-seater machines.

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FIA director explains plans to improve aerodynamic performance while close racing in F1 through new technical directive

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Italian wing of Motorsport.com, Tombazis initially explained how the aerodynamic load was reduced in cars from 2021 (50%) to 2022 (25%). However, it was once again increased by 15% in the 2023 F1 season, which is causing drivers trouble while following each other during a race. He started off:

“If we take the F1 of 2021 with two lengths from the front one, they lost more than 50% load. With 2022 cars, there was a reduction of only 20% of the load, while now we are around 35%. There has certainly been a deterioration.”

Furthermore, he dove deep into how the new technical directive for the 2026 season will aim to reduce aerodynamic drag as much as possible so that the overall aerodynamic performance while following cars improves.

“Meanwhile, and it was known from the beginning, the 2026 machines will have to have a much lower aerodynamic drag than the current ones. The simulations made indicated that it is possible to maintain low resistance levels.”

Lastly, the FIA director also stated that weight and size reduction are another aspect the seniors of the sport are looking at. This will also help generate a lower aerodynamic load on cars.

“On the dimensions of the wheels that will be narrower, on the rear wing and in general we also aim to reduce the weight of the cars by fifty kilos, so it will be possible to see smaller cars: less long and narrower. With the machine subjected to a diet we would be able to reduce the travel speeds in curves a little, because being lighter they will go stronger on the straight, but they will generate less aerodynamic load.”

For the most part, the 2022 F1 regulations for closer racing and reducing dirty air worked quite well for the first year. However, aerodynamic performance somehow decreased in 2023. This is exactly what the new technical directive will try to tackle, along with shaping lighter and smaller cars for the future.

Along with all this, the FIA is also planning to introduce stricter rules for the front wing endplate, sides of the floor, wheels, and more. These changes could come into effect in 2025, just to test whether they can be applied to F1 cars in 2026.