F1 team principal first to break silence over FIA rule changes

Wolff looking at Vowles with pride as Vowles looks away, both sat next to each other on the FIA press conference sofa — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 team principal first to break silence over FIA rule changes

Drivers and team bosses had previously expressed concerns about the new rules

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 21 April 2026 13:57

One F1 team principal has reacted to the regulation changes which were a result of a meeting between the FIA, teams and power unit manufacturers.

The five-week break between the Japanese and Miami Grands Prix offered the perfect space for drivers and teams to air their grievances with the new cars and regulations, with the drivers' meeting on Friday (April, 17) and the teams on the following Monday (April 20).

Two topics were of major concern to the drivers, that of safety (particularly after Ollie Bearman's crash at Suzuka) and energy management to ensure qualifying is spent on the limit more of the time.

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Now, the FIA have announced a series of changes heading into Miami, which takes place in just over a week's time. One change is that super clipping will be increased from 250 kW to the maximum of 350 kW, which means drivers can recover more energy while remaining at full throttle - and is deemed safer than lift and coast methods.

In further attempts to improve safety, the FIA have also adjusted MGU-K deployment, and while it remains at 350 kW for 'key acceleration zones', it will be limited to 250 kW for other parts of the lap. Furthermore, the maximum power available through boost mode has been capped at +150 kW. These changes are to 'reduce excessive closing speeds while maintaining overtaking opportunities and overall performance characteristics.'

For improved qualifying, the FIA have reduced the harvesting limit from 8 MJ to 7 MJ. While this makes the cars slower, because cars will recover less energy and have less electrical power to deploy, it should reduce the need to lift and coast or super clip, making qualifying more on the limit for the drivers.

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Williams F1 team principal James Vowles reacts to FIA changes

On Monday evening, the FIA released a statement confirming these changes with Williams team principal James Vowles sharing his thoughts on social media.

He wrote on X: "These are sensible changes and the teams, FIA and Formula 1 have done good work over the past few weeks to agree them.

"F1 has seen some great racing so far this year but it is right that we always look at ways to keep improving. We look forward to seeing them in action from Miami onwards."

Vowles' driver, Carlos Sainz, was one of the more vocal drivers about the need for rule changes, telling the media in Japan: "I don’t mind being one or two seconds lower overall and top speed, five, 10 kilometres down, if the deployment and the energy is more consistent and allows it to push through.

"Honestly, 350 kW on top of the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine), for me, it’s almost too much in some areas.

"For some circuits, it would be too much. Also, from a safety standpoint; wet; I’m not sure this 350(kW) is actually needed.

"If you’re going to have this deployment and then losing the speed, I think it’s better to almost flatter, a more conservative deployment, but something that allows the driver to drive a bit more normally."

F1 FIA Williams 2026 regulations James Vowles