FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis expects the new Formula 1 regulations for 2026 to deliver “more exciting racing” as a net result of the various changes the governing body is making to the cars.For 2026, F1 is moving to lighter, narrower cars with a bigger electric component to their hybrid engines, as well as the use of sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics.AdvertisementThe latter involves opening both the front and rear wings on the straight, making the current DRS device obsolete. In its place, trailing cars will be able to get a speed advantage on the competitors they are chasing through an electric energy boost called manual override mode.And while the new technical regulations on both the power unit and chassis side may well lead to a much larger spread between teams at first, Tombazis thinks the new ruleset will create a better show.”Clearly, with new regulations one expects initially a slightly bigger spread of the grid, but we do expect from an aerodynamic point of view, cars to be able to follow each other much closer than now,” he said.Advertisement”The wake characteristics are much improved and we feel we’ve learned a lot from the 2022 cars to implement a lot of these learnings for the aerodynamic regulations this year.”The transition from using DRS to energy as the tool to assist overtaking – that’s all going to change the nature and make it more unpredictable. That, together with the different aerodynamics, I think are going to make racing ultimately more exciting.”Nikolas Tombazis, FIA Single Seater DirectorNikolas Tombazis, FIA Single Seater DirectorTombazis believes the difference with the current cars will be starker because teams have all clawed back so much downforce since the advent of the 2022 regulations. In this time, the impact of dirty air has also gradually worsened.Advertisement”Let me say, first of all, that the 2022 cars started off with a significant improvement in their wake characteristics. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but the loss of downforce at 20 metres behind went from about 50% on the previous generation of cars to about 80 or 85% to start with on the 2022 cars. And then that gradually decayed during the regulation cycle to what it is now, which again I’m not entirely sure – but we are probably talking more like 70%.”This is why we see that cars are currently struggling a bit more now following each other than in 2022, albeit still better than it was in 2021. We believe that the start of the new cycle will be more like 90% or something like that. So we believe it’s going to be better than it’s ever been.”Another element that can create variance between teams and drivers is not just the different engine hardware, but the way in which each power unit is being run and how the energy is managed. It is believed two identical power units can vary in performance to the tune of several tenths per lap purely down to how the driver actually deploys the energy.Advertisement”If a driver deploys his energy differently and you’re a little bit inefficient in your use around the lap, an overtake is actually quite practical or feasible,” said Red Bull’s chief engineer Paul Monaghan.”So, I think the scatter of car usage and performance could be greater than we currently have. And as such, the racing will be different in that we may not be as closed up as we currently are – but we’ll see. And then you’ve got the uncertainty of completely new cars, new electronics, and will everybody make it to the end? We’ll find out. It’s unpredictable at the moment.”Photos from Las Vegas GP – Thursday PracticeLando Norris, McLarenLando Norris, McLarenFrederic J. Brown / AFP Via Getty ImagesAdvertisementAn Elvis Presley impersonator holds up an Ayrton Senna inspired helmetAn Elvis Presley impersonator holds up an Ayrton Senna inspired helmetGuido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty ImagesIsack Hadjar, Racing Bulls TeamIsack Hadjar, Racing Bulls TeamSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty ImagesCharles Leclerc, FerrariCharles Leclerc, FerrariJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty ImagesFernando Alonso, Aston Martin RacingFernando Alonso, Aston Martin RacingZak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty ImagesYuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingYuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingBryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesGeorge Russell, MercedesGeorge Russell, MercedesJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty ImagesAdvertisementFrederic Vasseur, FerrariFrederic Vasseur, FerrariChris Graythen / Getty ImagesAlexandra Saint MleuxAlexandra Saint MleuxBryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesGeorge Russell, MercedesGeorge Russell, MercedesJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty ImagesPierre Gasly, AlpinePierre Gasly, AlpineJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty ImagesLando Norris, McLarenLando Norris, McLarenPatrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty ImagesLaurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team PrincipalLaurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team PrincipalMark Thompson / Getty ImagesOscar Piastri, McLarenOscar Piastri, McLarenGlenn Dunbar / LAT Images via Getty ImagesAdvertisementOliver Bearman, Haas F1 TeamOliver Bearman, Haas F1 TeamSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty ImagesMax Verstappen, Red Bull RacingMax Verstappen, Red Bull RacingMark Thompson / Getty ImagesEsteban Ocon, Haas F1 TeamEsteban Ocon, Haas F1 TeamSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty ImagesLando Norris, McLarenLando Norris, McLarenMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesMax Verstappen, Red Bull RacingMax Verstappen, Red Bull RacingMark Thompson / Getty ImagesCharles Leclerc, FerrariCharles Leclerc, FerrariMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesGene Haas, Founder and Chairman of Haas F1 TeamGene Haas, Founder and Chairman of Haas F1 TeamSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty ImagesAdvertisementOliver Bearman, Haas F1 TeamOliver Bearman, Haas F1 TeamSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty ImagesLance Stroll, Aston Martin RacingLance Stroll, Aston Martin RacingZak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty ImagesFernando Alonso, Aston Martin RacingFernando Alonso, Aston Martin RacingSam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton, FerrariLewis Hamilton, FerrariMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesEsteban Ocon, Haas F1 TeamEsteban Ocon, Haas F1 TeamJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty ImagesYuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingYuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingGuido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty ImagesAdvertisementAndrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesAndrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesClive Rose / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesPierre Gasly, AlpinePierre Gasly, AlpineClive Mason / Getty ImagesFranco Colapinto, AlpineFranco Colapinto, AlpineSam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty ImagesOscar Piastri, McLarenOscar Piastri, McLarenHector Vivas / Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton, FerrariLewis Hamilton, FerrariClive Rose / Formula 1 via Getty 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via Getty ImagesAdvertisementYuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingYuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingMark Thompson / Getty ImagesAlexander Albon, WilliamsAlexander Albon, WilliamsPeter Fox / Getty ImagesMax Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko, Red Bull RacingMax Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko, Red Bull RacingMark Thompson / Getty ImagesCharles Leclerc, FerrariCharles Leclerc, FerrariTayfun Coskun / Anadolu via Getty ImagesLando Norris, McLarenLando Norris, McLarenMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesAndrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesAndrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesBryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty ImagesOscar Piastri, McLarenOscar Piastri, McLarenGlenn Dunbar / LAT Images via Getty ImagesAdvertisementAlexander Albon, WilliamsAlexander Albon, WilliamsPeter Fox / Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton, FerrariLewis Hamilton, FerrariJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty ImagesPierre Gasly, Alpine, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingPierre Gasly, Alpine, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull RacingClive Mason / Getty ImagesLiam Lawson, Racing Bulls TeamLiam Lawson, Racing Bulls TeamGuido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty ImagesPierre Gasly, AlpinePierre Gasly, AlpineJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton, FerrariLewis Hamilton, FerrariTayfun Coskun / Anadolu via Getty ImagesIsack Hadjar, Racing Bulls TeamIsack Hadjar, Racing Bulls TeamRudy Carezzevoli / Getty ImagesAdvertisementEsteban Ocon, Haas F1 TeamEsteban Ocon, Haas F1 TeamHector Vivas / Getty ImagesAndrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesAndrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesChris Graythen / Getty ImagesCharles Leclerc, FerrariCharles Leclerc, FerrariClive Mason / Getty ImagesA manhole cover comes loose afterA manhole cover comes loose afterKym Illman / Getty ImagesTrack officials inspect a manhole coverTrack officials inspect a manhole coverKym Illman / Getty ImagesCharles Leclerc, FerrariCharles Leclerc, FerrariSam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty ImagesCharles Leclerc, FerrariCharles 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