FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis believes there is “quite a lot of flexibility” to adjust energy deployment, in particular the new Overtake Mode, throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season.
F1 has switched to new power units featuring a near-50:50 split between combustion and electric power, with energy deployment playing an even more crucial role than in the 2014-2025 formula.
From this year onwards, the Overtake Mode is effectively replacing the Drag Reduction System that had been in use since 2011 – an identical concept with a vastly different implementation.
Now, drivers within one second of the car ahead in a specific zone will benefit from a power boost. But Boost Mode will also exist, allowing drivers to use extra energy anywhere on the track, regardless of whether they’re attacking or defending.
Both of these tools must be viewed in the context of energy management, with cars potentially running out of energy deployment at the end of certain straights.
Speaking to Motorsport.com at the Autosport Business Exchange in London, Tombazis was asked how the FIA could tweak energy deployment, potentially on a race-by-race basis, and explained: “There's quite a lot of flexibility in that regard.
“One thing we don't have at the moment is we haven't seen exactly the performance envelopes of all 11 cars, and therefore we've got a reasonably good guess I believe, but we don't have the final, real data. Once we have that and we see on track how they behave, then we can definitely react to these parameters.”
The brand-new regulations mean all teams face a steep learning curve, and a high rate of development is expected. Regardless, Tombazis is confident that the FIA can make the right calls for each track.
“These parameters, how you set up the overtake zones, etc., are parameters that you can adjust,” the Greek added. “We do of course need to give teams advance notice, we don't change them on Friday at the racetrack, but there are things we can simulate and I think we'll be OK.”
