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FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis has warned F1 teams against exploiting any loopholes while developing their 2026 cars. The Greek executive has advised all teams to be transparent with the governing body and also claimed that no leeway will be given if any part of their cars is considered illegal.
F1 is entering a new era from 2026 onwards, amid completely overhauled engine and aerodynamic regulations that are set to come into effect next year. There has been a lot of talk about which teams will emerge as the top performers in this upcoming era by navigating the regulations effectively.
Previously, teams have even found loopholes to work around the regulations and gain an advantage over the rest of the field. But this time around, the FIA seems to have a stricter policy regarding this.
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FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis has claimed it could be "suicidal" for any team to develop their car in a way that is considered illegal. He also advised the teams to concur with the governing body regarding any decisions they make.
"Obviously, we can’t force teams to communicate with us, but I think it’s also advisable for their survival. If they based an entire car on a concept that could later be made illegal, it would be a disaster for them," said Tombazis [via FormulaPassion].
"Being transparent is in their best interest. In general, I think the teams have learned this lesson, which is why we went in that direction," he added.
Numerous recent reports have suggested that Mercedes seems to have developed the quickest power unit for 2026. If true, this would mean that their works team, along with McLaren and Williams, could very well have an advantage when they start next year.
Tombazis reveals the efforts the FIA will make to ensure fairness in 2026
Nikolas Tombazis has also revealed that the FIA will notify each F1 team if it believes any clarification requested by a competing outfit indicates that they may be working within a grey area in the regulations. The 57-year-old also drew comparisons with the infamous double diffuser controversy from 2009.
Speaking to the aforementioned outlet, Tombazis explained the following:
"For any clarification requested by the teams, if we believe that the question asked indicates a grey area with little clarity, we would ensure that an identical communication is sent to all teams."
He then claimed that this would allow all teams to be on the same page, unlike with the double diffuser in 2009.
“If we take the similar case of the double diffuser in 2009, at the time there were communications between the FIA and some teams, but not with all of them. There were therefore people working with different interpretations of the regulations," he said.
Tombazis then concluded by saying that the FIA's biggest priority at the moment was to make sure that all teams understand the 2026 regulations completely.
