MOGYOROD, Hungary, Aug. 16, 2025 — Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, is rolling out a new program to help struggling engine manufacturers catch up starting in 2026, aiming to prevent the kind of dominance seen in past eras. This initiative, dubbed “additional development opportunities for performance gaps,” is designed to ensure a more competitive landscape as the sport introduces new chassis and engine regulations.
The FIA wants to avoid repeating history, like the hybrid era that began in 2014. Mercedes, for instance, dominated for years, securing eight Constructors’ Championships by 2021.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazi explained the rationale. “I don’t think we’ll ever see such a dominant engine manufacturer again as we did in 2014,” he told Auto motor and sports. “Back then, the powertrain became much more complex than its predecessor. This time, we’re doing the opposite. We’re simplifying the technology.”
Attila Chisbenedek / AFP/GETY MEMBERS
The new power units for 2026 will be simpler, omitting the MGU-H component and facing stricter limits in certain areas. “Originally, we wanted to go even further, but we couldn’t get it done,” Tombazi added. “The new powertrains are simpler. They no longer have MGU-H, and there are stricter limits in some areas.”
He acknowledged the inherent risks with new regulations and manufacturers. “On the other hand, we have newcomers among the manufacturers, and of course, there’s always the risk that one of them will miss the mark with the first attempt. Despite budget constraints and limited test bench time.”
When asked about providing support to struggling power unit suppliers, Tombazi confirmed. “Yes,” he stated. “We’ve introduced a program for this that we call ‘additional development opportunities for performance gaps.’ It was in the rules from the beginning. In recent months, we’ve refined how we want to manage it.”
The FIA will monitor manufacturer performance. “Essentially, we’ll measure the average performance for each manufacturer every six races,” Tombazi explained. “For those below a certain level, there will be an upgrade option depending on how far behind.”
This catch-up mechanism offers three levels of support: increased development budgets, more dyno hours, and extended time for homologation. “This can be represented at three different levels: more money for development. More dyno hours. More time for specification homologation,” Tombazi said. “So, those who are behind have a chance to catch up.”
Tombazi clarified that this system differs from the Balance of Performance used in endurance racing. “That’s not the case,” he asserted. “The rules remain the same for everyone. No one gets more displacement or more fuel.” He highlighted the budget cap’s impact, noting that without it, lagging manufacturers would simply spend more to catch up, as Honda did when it entered in 2015. “With a cost cap, there’s a risk that you’ll never be able to catch up. And no one wants to be humiliated forever,” he stated. “That wouldn’t be fair either.”
The FIA is finalizing adjustments to ensure fairness and cooperation. “We’re currently working on the final adjustments to this system. The engine manufacturers have been extremely cooperative.”
For teams facing initial reliability issues with the new 2026 cars, the FIA has an additional safeguard. “If someone has major reliability issues at the beginning, they can also upgrade,” Tombazi revealed. “It’s pointless to leave someone out in the cold who has engine failure every weekend.”
These new engines are costly, and persistent failures could strain budgets. A proposal is under consideration to exempt additional engine units from the budget cap once a certain number have been used, preventing teams from falling too far behind due to early reliability problems. This proposal still requires approval.
