FIA eyes sub-700kg target for next-generation F1 cars

The FIA is considering a package of changes intended to bring future Formula 1 cars below 700kg. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, told The Race that the target depends on adding together a series of measures. He said the plans are not final, and that resistance and cost concerns are expected alongside the need for compromises.

In the power-unit concept Tombazis described, neither the turbo nor the battery would disappear. Both would become smaller and play a less prominent role. Lower turbo pressure would reduce the turbo’s size, while the FIA wants simpler intake and exhaust systems. A smaller battery could also allow a smaller MGU-K, which might fit beside the engine and lighten the installation as a whole.

Weight savings would extend beyond the power unit. Tombazis said the FIA could move to a smaller wheel size, but did not plan to return to the 13-inch wheels used in 2021. Smaller, lighter cars could also use less robust parts and lighter aerodynamic components. Current cars have a minimum weight of 768kg.

Tombazis estimates that lower weight alone could make lap times about 2.5 to 3 seconds faster. He says the resulting gain could let the FIA reduce aerodynamic and other loads while improving tyre behaviour without sacrificing lap time.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has promised a return to V8 engines in 2030. Under the contemplated power unit, the combustion engine would supply a larger share of total power, Tombazis says, potentially increasing fuel use slightly. Cars might carry 20 to 25kg more fuel; even if one started, for example, 80kg lighter, he says, that would still be a substantial improvement.