P1 with Matt and Tommy - F1 have changed the new regulations

Episode Date: April 20, 2026

Matt's flying solo today because Tommy's flying... to New Zealand. That's right, F1 have made some changes to the regulations ahead of its return and Matt is here to try and understand the ludicrously technical language littered through the F1 press release. Physics degrees at the ready! Sign up to our Patreon for just $5 a month! You'll get access to every P1 episode ad-free, extended versions of every 2026 race review, early access to tickets & merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with us and other F1 fans! Click here to sign up now: http://patreon.com/mattp1tommyFollow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok.P1 with Matt and Tommy is the world's biggest F1 podcast. Subscribe for new podcasts around every single race throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome back. It's the P1 podcast with Matt. That's it. Just Matt. Because you just not, you just, the timing of this, by the way. The regulation update and Tommy is on a flight all the way to New Zealand. So I thought instead of not doing a podcast full stop or just doing a little. social clip. We would do a different kind of podcast. Of course, I'm going to miss Tommy throughout

this, and I know you will as well. But I thought we could just have a little bit of a Natter, I mean, a one-way natter, you can just listen and you can come back to me at the comments or something, because there's been quite a few updates ahead of Miami, and I just want to talk about it, because there's a lot to go through. There's a lot I don't understand, and you all probably feel the same way as well. So let's start from the top, shall we, where Formula One have posted an article on their website, saying refinements to the 2026 F1 regulations agreed by all stakeholders.

So now we're going to go through this, and it was a unanimous decision. That's the first thing to take note here, is that according to what's being said, everybody agreed to these tweaks, which I think tweaks is a very fair way of putting it. I don't think they're insanely massive changes, but then again,

we questioned how big these changes could be, considering they are literally, they're the cars that have been built for this year. So as we have a look at it, the final proposals presented during the meeting were the result of a series of consultations over the past few weeks between the FIA, technical representatives,

and extensive input from F1 drivers. Do you notice that? That they've put the extensive input from F1 drivers. So they are listening, or at least they're coming across like they're listening. which is good because after Japan, it felt as if the Formula One drivers were not being listened to. So lots of things to mention, four key sections, apparently,

which will be implemented for the Miami Grand Prix, which is at the start of May, apart from the race start changes that are set to be tested in Miami and adopted following feedback and analysis. So let's start with qualifying, shall we? So I'm just going to go through it point by point and then give a bit of my thoughts if I can give thoughts because some of this I genuinely wish I had some sort of science degree. And that's what you have to be, right? That's what you have to have in order to be a Formula One fan in 2026.

So the first point was adjustments to energy management parameters, including a reduction in maximum permitted recharge from 8 to 7 megajoules, MJ. I think that's megajoules. This is where, you know, my GCC in science, although, to be fair, to chemistry, physics and biology. Anyway, sorry, I'm getting distracted because Tommy's not here to keep me on the straight and narrow. So that makes me think that's exactly the same as what happened in Japan. If we remember back then, there was a reduction because they were concerned about the superclipping and just the deceleration that we tend to see. And I don't think that made, well, I wouldn't say it didn't make a difference.

but when it comes to Japan, it was still very visible and very noticeable that they were harvesting quite a lot. So this is aimed at reducing excessive harvesting and encouraging more consistent flat-out driving. And it's even said here that the superclip duration, the maximum superclip duration,

is approximately two to four seconds per lap. So that's still a lot of time. and if it's going into the same fast corners, which you would imagine it is, those two to four seconds are still going to have that same effect for fans. Will for me watching, for sure. We just put out a podcast about all the things we don't like about the current regulations and Formula One in 2026.

I don't think that's going to be a particularly massive thing, but then perhaps with the other things that they are throwing in to qualifying changes, then maybe it'll make a slight bigger difference, but I am slightly doubtful, as you can probably hear, by my tone. So the next one, peak superclip power increased to 350 kilowatts, previously being 250 kilowatts, further reducing the time spent recharging

and reducing driver workload on energy management. This will also be applied in race conditions. So I'm not the most technical-minded, right? You'll know this. if you've listened to the Be on podcast. I'm sat here right. And I've read the first two. And when I read it a moment ago before I started recording,

I was sat there. And the first thing I thought was, what have they done to our beautiful sport? That we have to try to understand this. Why are we even being put through this? Like, this is not something that I don't think many people are going to fully understand. Even the drivers have said these regulations are so complex that even they don't fully understand what's going on in the car.

All of these adjustments, I don't really know what that's going to create and cause. And I guess they're trying to fix these regulations. So they're trying everything they can. One thing I will say is fair play to Formula One, fair play to the FIA, for actually working together, realizing that the sport's not in the best place. because they wouldn't do this unless they understood that something needed to change. You know, they're very proud, as you know, and they're a business, and they don't want to come across like they do, they make any wrong decisions.

But I think these regulations, as we all, not all agree, but most people think that they're not perfect. So there's that. The peak superclip power. Peak superclip power. What are we doing? Next one. The number of events where alternative lower energy limits. may apply has been increased from 8 to 12 races allowing greater adaptation to circuit characteristics.

I don't, I'll be real, don't have a clue what that means. The number of events where alternative lower energy limits may apply. Great, so there's more adaptation to if things aren't as they seem. That's how I gather from that. Okay, so that's qualifying. We now head to the race. So there's improved safety and consistency of performance, they say. The maximum power available through the boost in race conditions is now capped at 150 kilowatts

or the car's current power level at activation of a power level. What has this sport become? This is not Dragon Ball Z. We do not have power of over 9,000. So that is obviously brought in after the Olly Bearman incident and I guess just general feedback as well from the drivers in the first few races, that the difference in speed between two cars is too big, especially when one is deploying and one isn't.

So it's capped. It'd be interesting to see if that affects overtaking, if that affects the ability to have these crazy back and forth, back and forth yo-yo kind of moments, we will see on that front. The next one is MGUK. deployment is maintained at 350 kilowatts in key acceleration zones from corner exit to breaking point, including overtaking zones, but will be limited to 250 kilowatts.

Are you listening, everybody? It'll be limited to 250 kilowatts in other parts of the lap. I know. Breathe a sigh of relief to whatever the hell that meant. No, I'm kidding. But it's, again, how do you... Ah, I'm just a bit fed up, as you can tell, that all of this is having to be absorbed. in order to understand Formula One this year.

These measures are designed to reduce excessive closing speeds. So as I mentioned with the Olli-Berman thing, probably being the key factor here, while maintaining overtaking opportunities. So that's what they reckon, that we will have more overtaking opportunities, or, sorry, maintain overtaking opportunities with these changes. And then we move to race starts.

This was something I mentioned at the top of the solo podcast. I miss you, Tommy. where this is not being implemented, it's being tested. So this one I quite like. It says a new low power start detection system has been developed. So essentially, Liam Lawson, for example, or whoever it might have been having a poor slow start, perhaps a box of neutrals, whatever it might be, there is kind of this sort of power surge that goes through the car in order for there to not be that big change. or still of course will be the cars getting away normally and the car's getting away slowly but I guess the aim here is to have that speed difference smaller which I am a big fan of

because it helps the safety in the sport so it says in such cases an automatic MGUK deployment will be triggered to ensure a minimum level of acceleration so as I just mentioned there an associated visual warning system so they're bringing something flashing lights for the rear and lateral on affected cars to alert following drivers and a reset. This one's interesting. So, like, I'm a gamer, right? And sometimes games have glitches and the player base will not be happy. Well, this one says that a reset of the energy counter at the start of the formation

up has also been implemented to correct a previously identified system inconsistency. Sorry? Are we having inconsistencies across the player base, i.e. the drivers? Hmm, well, let's see if that fixes that one. And then wet conditions, we've not seen the chaos unfold yet when it comes to slippery and slidy conditions. But they're looking to improve safety and visibility, which I'm again a big fan of tire blanket temperatures have been increased for intermediate tires, which will help with grip. A maximum ERS deployment will be reduced, limiting torque and improving car control in low grip conditions. I guess I like that if it is a case of it being automated within the car.

Of course, you know, there are these programs which myself and Tommy have discussed that we're not a massive fan of things being automated in the car, but if that kind of stuff is automated, then it could well catch a driver out in very, you know, difficult conditions. So I'm a fan of that one. And then the rear light systems have been simplified with clearer and more consistent visual cues to improve visibility and reaction time for following drivers. in poor conditions.

Again, anything that can help us go racing when it's wet, sign me up. I want 20 points of this just to ensure that we can get as much racing as possible when the heavens do open. So these final proposals it now says will now be put before an FIA World Motorsport Council E-vote before their planned implementation. So that is the plan, everybody. we have to hold our breath, I think, for Miami to see what the changes are. I'm still skeptical. I'm still very skeptical that it will be a massive change.

And the problem is, if they reduce the recharge anymore and put more emphasis on the internal combustion engine, they're going to be slower than Formula 2. Like they will lose, because obviously they've changed the car so dramatically, they've got the battery which gains a lot of time on the straits, and yeah, they're only a few seconds off what we've seen in the past. But the more they take of the power out of that, the slower they're going to get.

And Formula 1 very quickly doesn't become the pinnacle. It still will be. I always love Formula 1 to the, depths of my of my heart. But I guess their hands are tied really in how much they can change. And I think this is evident from the changes they're making. So we're still going to hear the word superclip. We're still going to hear the word recharge.

And let's hope we get some great racing. Miami, I think, you know, we'll go into it. Positivity. Hope that these changes will make a good step forward. because we've discussed this in a video that in a podcast recently saying about the positives and that tweaks maybe can save these regulations. But only time will tell. I hope you've enjoyed this very strange little solo podcast.

Just a quick one to basically chat about what's been launched. Tommy is literally 37,000 feet in the air, so I wish him a very safe travel. we will see you, I will see you soon. Thanks for tuning in. Lots of love. Bye! P1 is a Stack production and part of the Acast's creator network.