The FIA’s single-seater director, Nikolas Tombazis, has reacted to claims that the 2026 energy models will see F1 automobiles lapping at F2 speeds.
The fears are primarily based on the brand new engines which can be break up 50/50 between ICE and electrical energy, drivers fearing that the necessity to recharge the engine each lap will trigger speeds to drop.
“I believe feedback about Method 2 tempo are approach off the mark,” Tombazis instructed reporters in Las Vegas. “We’re speaking about lap occasions total that are within the area of 1 or two seconds off the place we at the moment are, relying on the observe, relying on the situations, and clearly at first of a cycle it could be foolish to be quicker than the earlier cycle.
“It could value us nothing from a regulation,” he continued, “however it could be very straightforward to make the automobiles go quicker, however one has to step by step claw again what’s gained by pure improvement.
“So you possibly can’t begin the cycle going quicker than the earlier one, then in 20 years from now you possibly can think about what would occur. So I believe it is pure the automobiles are a bit slower, however I do not suppose we’re wherever close to the type of it isn’t Method 1 dialogue in any approach or form.”
Nevertheless, Purple Bull’s chief engineer, Paul Monaghan, believes, or slightly hopes, the problem can be observe particular.
“For me it is somewhat bit observe dependent,” he mentioned. “We’ve got what we would time period energy-rich circuits and energy-poor circuits, the place it is simpler to fill the power retailer with power, after which the lap time is somewhat bit slower.
“A few of the poor ones the place we’re struggling somewhat bit in the intervening time, we’re a bit greater than that off,” he continued, “however one of many nice difficulties in the intervening time is making an attempt to really set up how a lot grip we will have.
“We’ve got an aero map and it says we’ll make this stage of downforce and is it truly actuality? As soon as we have now the ultimate tyres from Pirelli, possibly they’re somewhat bit worse and it has fairly a knock-on impact to your total lap time. So sure, they will be somewhat bit slower. However I do not suppose we’ll be at F2 tempo, I hope not. In order that’s the place we’d be.”
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