Iranian missile strikes near a U.S. base in Bahrain have prompted the FIA to monitor the upcoming Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix closely, though both races remain on the calendar for now.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc says F1's new 2026 cars are more agile and responsive but require far more mental focus to manage complex systems, fundamentally changing the driver's role during a race.
For the 2026 F1 season, the FIA is adding one minute to the final Q3 qualifying session, bringing it to 13 minutes, by shortening the inter-session break. The change aims to reduce the dangerous pit-lane traffic jams and high-pressure scrambles that have become common as teams perfectly time their last-gasp laps.
A two‑day tyre test at Bahrain International Circuit was scrapped after missile strikes closed Gulf airspace and hit the US Fifth Fleet’s command centre, prompting Pirelli to prioritize staff safety and cancel the session.
The FIA has changed its engine inspection rules to test at 130°C, closing a loophole that allowed Mercedes to run a higher compression ratio than the 16:1 limit. The move forces Mercedes to modify its power unit and aims to ensure competitive fairness under actual racing conditions.
F1 and the FIA are actively assessing the safety of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix following recent missile strikes in the region. While both races are currently on the calendar, travel has already been disrupted and security protocols are under constant review, with historical precedents from 2022 and 2011 informing the ongoing response.
McLaren technical director Mark Temple explains how F1's 2026 active aero rules will revolutionize car setup. The new 'straight mode' allowing both wings to open means high-speed tracks like Monza may require larger rear wings for cornering grip, flipping the current low-drag approach on its head and creating two distinct car personalities based on circuit layout.
McLaren won both 2025 championships but received only $165.8 million—fourth‑largest of the $1.4 billion pool—behind Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. The payout formula favours past results and long‑term bonuses, not just the current title.
Formula 1 has abandoned the mandatory two-stop rule for the Monaco GP after a single unsuccessful trial in 2025. The experiment, designed to create strategic variety, failed to improve the racing and was panned by drivers as boring, leading the FIA to remove it from the 2026 sporting regulations.
The FIA has amended the 2026 F1 technical rules based on pre-season feedback, finalizing how the critical engine compression ratio will be measured and controlled. This marks an important step in refining the complex new regulations before their debut.
F1 power unit manufacturers have agreed to move a key 'hot' engine test forward to June 2026, targeting a technical area where Mercedes is believed to have gained an advantage. The rule change aims to ensure a level playing field for the new engine regulations by checking compression ratios at operating temperature much earlier than originally planned.
The FIA will enforce a new engine compression ratio test from June 1, 2026, moving measurements to hot operating conditions to close a pre-season loophole. The change, agreed upon by all manufacturers, resolves a dispute that threatened to overshadow the launch of F1's new technical era and aims to ensure fair competition under the groundbreaking 2026 regulations.
