F1 chief addresses Red Bull 2026 regulation fears with 'IMMATURE' claim

Pat Symonds is not worried about the 2026 regulations despite concerns from certain teams after initial testing.

Red Bull and Max Verstappen have tested the supposed regulations already in the simulator and are not pleased with the outcome they got.

The reigning world champion even branded them as "pretty terrible", claiming that he would downshift on the straights in order to recharge the battery.

Symonds, F1’s chief technical officer, is not at all concerned, however, as the regulations are much further along than Red Bull is aware.

READ MORE: Domenicali hints at V10 style return in 2026 F1 engine regulations

Immature regulations

“Teams spend a large part of their budget on buying alarm bells," Symonds said to Autosport.

“The 2026 car in my mind is no bigger a change than the 2022 one. I would argue that it is actually a bit less aerodynamic [a jump]. Yes, it got more active components in there but there's nothing magic about active aerodynamics. I'm quite confident.

“And the team's alarm bells, and talking about Max who has driven it in the simulator: he hasn't driven what's there. I know that because we are obviously months ahead of where they are.

“We needed to get a set of regulations out for the engine and put some energy management numbers in there.

“They were very immature. We knew that they wouldn't work and we knew that they needed to be developed. And where we've got to in the nine months since is transformational."

READ MORE: Christian Horner: The Red Bull giant and ‘Drive to Survive’ star

Related

Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo F1 RETURN verdict issued as team chief offers comeback twist

• Yesterday 19:57

Isack Hadjar

Who is Isack Hadjar? The Red Bull phenom promoted to F1 for 2025

• December 20, 2024 16:47