According to Mattia Binotto, the teams that adapt fastest to the 2026 F1 regulations will have the greatest chances of success. Mattia Binotto, the head of the Audi F1 Project and chief operating officer and chief technical officer of Sauber Motorsport, explained that the squad able to calibrate its simulation tools and build its car efficiently will be best positioned in the first year under the new rules.
The 2026 regulations introduce significant changes, particularly in the power units and chassis. Power units will place greater emphasis on electric energy, with an almost equal split between the internal combustion engine and the electric component. Regarding chassis, cars will be smaller and lighter, with active aerodynamics designed to increase on-track excitement and overtaking opportunities.
Which team will be fastest?
In an interview with Motorsport.com, Mattia Binotto highlighted that it is currently impossible to predict which team will be the strongest next year. What matters is how each team reacts and adapts over time. Regardless of the initial competitiveness or performance levels, the team that develops and adapts most quickly will ultimately lead.
Development, along with precise simulation tools, will be critical to ensure that updates translate the improvements seen in computer models to the track. In the current era, many teams have been penalized by mismatches between simulated and real-world data.
As a result, all factory tools and simulations calibrated for the current rules will need to be revised for the new regulations, as the same parameters will no longer hold the same relevance.
Mattia Binotto’s words
“I think this change is something we are not used to. It could happen that at the start of the next season some teams will have done this work well, while others will not, because their tools are not yet fully optimized,” Mattia Binotto explained.
Leave a Reply