The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is preparing to introduce new regulatory measures aimed at tightening the relationships between so-called “A” and “B” teams in Formula 1, starting from the 2026 season. This development comes in response to repeated complaints from McLaren Racing, particularly regarding the close technical and strategic partnership between Red Bull Racing and its sister team, Racing Bulls.
McLaren’s Concerns Over Red Bull–Racing Bulls Relationship
Earlier in 2024, Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing, voiced his concerns publicly. “The co-ownership of an A team and a B team is a major concern for us and touches on the integrity and fairness of the sport,” he said. Brown’s criticism specifically targeted the collaboration between Red Bull and Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri), which he believes creates an unfair competitive environment.
One notable incident that fuelled McLaren’s frustration occurred during the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. Daniel Ricciardo, driving for Racing Bulls, set the fastest lap late in the race, taking away a crucial point from McLaren driver Lando Norris. Brown and others in the paddock saw this as evidence that the close alignment between Red Bull and Racing Bulls could influence championship outcomes and compromise sporting fairness.
The FIA’s Planned Intervention for 2026
According to a report by The-Race, the FIA is actively working on regulatory updates for the 2026 season that will more clearly separate the operations and technical resources of A and B teams. These changes are expected to be implemented under Section F of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, which deals with operational practices among teams.
Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s Single-Seater Director, explained the initiative in more detail. “We are working to clarify how an A team and a B team are allowed to operate. We will introduce some provisions on the IT side to ensure that systems are separated, so that no design projects or similar information can be shared. There are already many rules in place, but the current set of conditions is very complex and often difficult for teams to comply with,” he told British media.
Tombazis emphasized that the objective is to provide clearer structure and prevent grey areas in team cooperation: “Over the years, we have had to deal with several different situations and often had to issue clarifications or rulings. Now, we are trying to formalize these elements into a clear regulatory framework so that everyone is playing the same game.”
He added that the FIA also wants to ensure fairness for independent teams that do not have any affiliations. “We want to make sure that unaffiliated teams are not disadvantaged by the existence of close partnerships elsewhere in the field,” Tombazis stated.
Ferrari–Haas Used as a Reference Model
As part of the discussion, Tombazis pointed to the partnership between Scuderia Ferrari and Haas F1 Team as an example of how collaborative models can function within limits. “The goal behind allowing these different business models—like Haas’s approach—is to enable commercial gains and financial efficiencies. But that should not translate into determining what happens on track,” he said.
In other words, while the FIA acknowledges the economic value of partnerships between larger and smaller teams, it aims to prevent those relationships from interfering with on-track competition or creating imbalances in the sporting order. The new regulations expected for 2026 would aim to safeguard the independence of all competing teams and preserve the integrity of the championship.
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