Insisting that it is too early to write them off, Adrian Newey believes that in drawing up the 2026 regulations the sport was influenced by "one or two" manufacturers.

The regulations for both the cars and engines have come in for widespread criticism, but in the case of the latter Newey believes the sport allowed itself to be influenced, particularly in terms of the proposed 50/50 split between ICE and electric generated power.

"It's certainly going to be a strange formula in as much as the engines will be working flat-chat as generators just about the whole time," he told Autosport. "So, the prospect of the engine working hard in the middle of Loews hairpin is going to take some getting used to.

"It is fair to say that the engine regulations were created and pushed through without very much thought to the chassis side of it," he added. "And that is now creating quite large problems in terms of trying to come up with a solution to work with it.

"I think the one good thing is that it does promote efficiency," he admitted. "And I think anything that does that, and promotes that, has to be in line with trying to use F1 to popularise a trend."

However, the design legend, who has yet to announce which team he will be working for when the new rules come into effect, believes the FIA, as opposed to seeking to create the best set of the rules for the benefit of the sport, allowed itself to be influenced by the manufacturers.

"The FIA appears to be heavily influenced by one or two manufacturers," he said, "in the hope they will appease those manufacturers but also perhaps attract others in.

"I suppose since Audi are coming in for 2026 there has been a partial success in this regard," he added, "but I'm not sure it's worth the overall compromise of what could be achieved.

"The reality is manufacturers come and go, with the exception of Ferrari. It's the teams that are core to the business and then of course the big actual core is the viewing public. So it's essential we provide a good show and as part of that variety is proven to be well rewarded," he said.

"At the moment, they look a slightly strange set of regulations," he admitted, "but to write them off and say therefore they won't be good, it's way too premature. There comes a point where always as a designer you first look at what they might be and you might then have an opinion 'are they good or are they bad' but at some point, you have to ignore that and just get on with the challenge of it."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 20/06/2024 0:28

"I'm sure that the new for '26 technical wizardry is cutting edge and uber clever but the question I have is, why? Most development of this tech is not applicable to ones daily drive despite the dropping of the MGU H. I'm no 'luddite' and fully embrace development tech on most occasions but this latest iteration of the power unit still seems to be overcomplicated, to amateurs like me. I have always basically believed that 'simplicity is elegance'. The latest comments from certain teams seem to think that further tweaks are necessary rather proves a point...I think."

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2. Posted by Dirt, 19/06/2024 15:58

"If Newey's "full chat" comment is interpreted as full throttle at full revs, the ICE would have to be disconnected from the drive wheels. However, if the ICE can be configured to run full throttle and charge the battery when the driver is part throttle, the direct connection could remain. In that scenario, the throttle would need to be tied to the charging system so that when the driver requests 100% throttle = the ICE provides 0% charging, 75% throttle = 25% charging, 50% throttle = 50% charging, etc. The direct ICE-to-road connection through the gearbox is retained, but the ICE is utilized to charge the battery under zero-to-part throttle conditions at revs dictated by the road/gearbox/speed. Complicated (much too complicated), but not impossible."

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3. Posted by Endre, 19/06/2024 14:36

"@Wokingchap yes it will be, otherwise they wouldn't have the full ~1000bhp. However, when the ICE is not fully utilized,it will also run as a generator to recharge the batteries. It is a big load of crap if you ask me."

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4. Posted by kenji, 19/06/2024 14:01

"@wokingchap...you are not alone ....."

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5. Posted by Wokingchap, 19/06/2024 12:32

"@ all..... but IS the ice going to be connected (directly) to the rear wheels or not?
I , for one, still don't understand."

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6. Posted by Team Hack, 19/06/2024 11:40

"So an ICE running flat out at all times for two hours is going to save fuel, put no extra strain on the engines components,driveshafts,clutch etc at the start (or restart).
Deliver constant huge uncomfortable noise for spectators at street circuits (at Loews etc)

And downshifting at full revs = BANG?

So much for saving fuel, engine modes being turned down,
worries about engines spending too long at max revs etc etc

I think it might be BANG for the cost cap as well."

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7. Posted by Spindoctor, 19/06/2024 8:10

"Agree with @kenji et al (now there's a 1st!).
These hints of behind-the-scenes lobbying by "manufacturers", are just what I'd expect & assumed had happened - F1 is probably the most "politicised" sport on earth. Newey has confirmed this happened, but left-out the really interesting bits. Who were these mystery manufacturers & more importantly what was it they wanted to achieve? The answer to those questions would provide some insight into who's doing well & who's failing with the 2026 PUs.

For what it's worth I suspect concessions were made to lure in VAG in particular, as they already make some impressive units for other series. Tweaking the 2026 regs might well have allowed them to minimise investment needed to make the F1 PU. RBR\Ford are other prime suspects, tempting the Blue Oval back into F1 (albeit only peripherally) has big USA appeal."

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8. Posted by kenji, 19/06/2024 1:16

"@ Flyinglap.... Well said. Likewise what irks me greatly is the reluctance of these insider revelations re 'influencers/manufacturers' being published sans names! Why the reluctance to name them? Time to fess up Adrian. What is needed is some meat on the bones rather than innuendo and veiled hints of who the actual teams are!. Maybe the FIA should rename the series 'F1e' as it seems more than likely that that nomenclature is a far more accurate description than that which is historically recognised. The prospect of where this is all headed is very depressing to say the least and whilst always appreciative of new ideas and advances in technology this latest step is a step too far, IMO. The major re think of some of the largest automotive manus in the world towards 100% E and an imminent fall back to hybrids seems to be somewhat mirrored here in the F1 world. Is F1 as we knew it now on life support? It's all a bit like the meat flavoured hybrid hamburgers being marketed...hardly a global sensation."

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9. Posted by flyinglap, 18/06/2024 20:08

"And who these "one or two manufacturers" that the FIA appears to be heavily influenced by (according to Adrian Newey) would therefore be? That's the elephant in the room no one is talking about. Once more, just like Mercedes who seem to have already experimented with and secretly developed what subsequently "casually" became the current hybrid powerplant that everybody else had to eventually develop from scratch, I can now imagine in the same position the VW Group for example (via both Audi and Porsche who have long developed and raced various sorts of hybrid powerplants for Endurance racing; at least only Audi will be in F1 from 2026). In the meantime, on the electromobility front, one manufaturer after the other are backtracking and committing new development funding to the "old" internal combustion engine, the VW Group in primis. To be continued...
"

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10. Posted by Tyrbiter, 18/06/2024 17:26

"@Dirt - exactly, Brush Traction on rubber wheels without rails."

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11. Posted by Dirt, 18/06/2024 14:31

"If, "the engine [is] working hard in the middle of Loews hairpin," the ICE has to be decoupled from the drive wheels, meaning the car he's describing has 100% electric drive with the ICE as nothing more than an electric generator. "

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12. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 18/06/2024 12:20

"The constantly-revving engine concept seems like a complete nonsense. The rise and fall of the engine note is a key aspect of F1. Is this going to remove the howl of the engine as the driver goes and down through the gears? "

Certain manufacturers influenced 2026 regulations, says Newey

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