New engine rules for Formula 1 starting in 2026 are, according to former F1 technical director Pat Symonds, the result of ‘too many compromises,’ and the FIA deserves the blame.
Symonds, who played a role in developing the current chassis regulations and partially in the 2026 rules, revealed that his departure from Formula One Management stemmed from frustration over the FIA’s direction. “It was partly frustration that Formula One Management became less involved in the regulations; it was mainly the FIA,” Symonds told Autocar.
The Brit claims the FIA has gone too far in accommodating the teams’ wishes, unlike the approach taken with the 2022 regulations. “When we created the 2022 car, we listened to what the teams said, but we guided with a firm hand. We said, ‘Okay, we hear you, but we’re going to do this.’”
‘Own Agenda’
Symonds believes the 2026 engine formula has been diluted because each team pursued its own interests. “We knew that each of them had their own agenda.”
A proposal to recover energy through the front axle, compensating for the removal of the MGU-H, was scrapped after one team’s objection. “When you let a committee design a racehorse, you end up with a camel.”
The result, according to Symonds, is a power unit with a structural energy deficit. “We now have an engine that is low on energy. There are ways to circumvent that, but they are not good solutions,” he stated, while also noting some positives. “The chassis and aerodynamics are quite good. Active aerodynamics is a good step forward.”
