2026 Pre-Season Testing

[AR3-GP]

Continuing the discussion on gear ratios.

The Ferrari powered teams are not using 1st gear anywhere so it looks like they have a shorter 1st gear than the others, making it more difficult to enter that gear at speed, or locking the rear more (outside of launches). There are other possibilities. I am only speculating, but none of the 3 teams are using it.




I think it's because Ferrari have optimized the 1st gear around starts. There's a story that came out recently revealing that Ferrari is against changes to the start procedure that should help make starts easier and more predictable. So they have clearly made a design compromise to maximized starts and don't want to have the regs changed out from under them.

This is not to say one approach is better or worse, but only to say different teams have elected for different compromises. Another benefit of being a works teams with their own PU is the ability to choose these compromises with respect to the gearbox and the PU as Ferrari and RBR have each done.

[CHT]

Continuing the discussion on gear ratios.

The Ferrari powered teams are not using 1st gear anywhere so it looks like they have a shorter 1st gear than the others, making it more difficult to enter that gear at speed, or locking the rear more (outside of launches). There are other possibilities. I am only speculating, but none of the 3 teams are using it.

https://i.postimg.cc/668bjz7H/image.png


I think it's because Ferrari have optimized the 1st gear around starts. There's a story that came out recently revealing that Ferrari is against changes to the start procedure that should help make starts easier and more predictable. So they have clearly made a design compromise to maximized starts and don't want to have the regs changed out from under them.

This is not to say one approach is better or worse, but only to say different teams have elected for different compromises. Another benefit of being a works teams with their own PU is the ability to choose these compromises with respect to the gearbox and the PU as Ferrari and RBR have each done.

I think race engineer will play a very critical to advise their driver how, where and when to attack, and team will be studying very closely what other drivers are doing with their gearing. Not sure if this will provide and trackside excitement.

[AR3-GP]

If it's true that Mercedes has a 25 hp advantage over the nearest rival, then every other PU manufacturer will qualify for the highest ADUO tier. 25 hp is slightly more than 4% which activates the highest ADUO concessions. This will allow for two homologation updates this year (compared to none for Mercedes), additional budget, and additional dyno hours.

[AR3-GP]

live timing is down. impressive.

[Sergej]

If it's true that Mercedes has a 25 hp advantage over the nearest rival, then every other PU manufacturer will qualify for the highest ADUO tier. 25 hp is slightly more than 4% which activates the highest ADUO concessions. This will allow for two homologation updates this year (compared to none for Mercedes), additional budget, and additional dyno hours.

Do this figure include their trick, or is it on top of that ?

[Ufi]

If Max's criticism is backed by other drivers and the racing is gonna get worse because of these engines, then maybe F1 can come to some sense and switch to V8 or V10 with sustainable fuel and get rid of electrics for good

[De Wet]

If Max's criticism is backed by other drivers and the racing is gonna get worse because of these engines, then maybe F1 can come to some sense and switch to V8 or V10 with sustainable fuel and get rid of electrics for good

[Sieper]

Why not, we still race horses too, we could also race horse power. I am not opposed to using batteries, but these cars look heavy, snap, and run out of power on the end of the straight. It doesnt make me very happy. Yet?

[Jambier]

If Max's criticism is backed by other drivers and the racing is gonna get worse because of these engines, then maybe F1 can come to some sense and switch to V8 or V10 with sustainable fuel and get rid of electrics for good

It's already been months that there are discussion about future PU instead of those.
I think everyone already knows since quite a while that they are bad.

Question is, will they keep them until 2030 ? Or can they stop them at the end of 2028 ?
I think it would be quite simple to keep the ICE, get back to 18:1, allow more fuel and keep a little Kers

[Jambier]

If it's true that Mercedes has a 25 hp advantage over the nearest rival, then every other PU manufacturer will qualify for the highest ADUO tier. 25 hp is slightly more than 4% which activates the highest ADUO concessions. This will allow for two homologation updates this year (compared to none for Mercedes), additional budget, and additional dyno hours.

Do you have details of the ADUO tier list ?

[Farnborough]

Continuing the discussion on gear ratios.

The Ferrari powered teams are not using 1st gear anywhere so it looks like they have a shorter 1st gear than the others, making it more difficult to enter that gear at speed, or locking the rear more (outside of launches). There are other possibilities. I am only speculating, but none of the 3 teams are using it.

https://i.postimg.cc/668bjz7H/image.png


I think it's because Ferrari have optimized the 1st gear around starts. There's a story that came out recently revealing that Ferrari is against changes to the start procedure that should help make starts easier and more predictable. So they have clearly made a design compromise to maximized starts and don't want to have the regs changed out from under them.

This is not to say one approach is better or worse, but only to say different teams have elected for different compromises. Another benefit of being a works teams with their own PU is the ability to choose these compromises with respect to the gearbox and the PU as Ferrari and RBR have each done.

The statement/discussion that came out of RB (CH & AN) when they initially set up RBPT, did give some advance warning of their projection and interest of this area I believe.
Currently, it appears that they may have dictated a more lucid discussion for this aspect within RBPT development outlook.

The other PU interests would seem to qualify this with their observations and words published this week.

[AR3-GP]

If it's true that Mercedes has a 25 hp advantage over the nearest rival, then every other PU manufacturer will qualify for the highest ADUO tier. 25 hp is slightly more than 4% which activates the highest ADUO concessions. This will allow for two homologation updates this year (compared to none for Mercedes), additional budget, and additional dyno hours.

Do you have details of the ADUO tier list ?

You got it right in the AMR thread.

2-4% gets 1 new homologation for the year, after they qualify.
Greater than 4% gets 2 new homologations for the year after they qualify.

There is also additional dyno and cost cap budget included in these tiers but I don't remember the specifics. I assume it's sensible.

[ScottB]

If Max's criticism is backed by other drivers and the racing is gonna get worse because of these engines, then maybe F1 can come to some sense and switch to V8 or V10 with sustainable fuel and get rid of electrics for good

It's already been months that there are discussion about future PU instead of those.
I think everyone already knows since quite a while that they are bad.

Question is, will they keep them until 2030 ? Or can they stop them at the end of 2028 ?
I think it would be quite simple to keep the ICE, get back to 18:1, allow more fuel and keep a little Kers

Quite simple? Develop new engines and new chassis rules to accommodate them?

Expensive is what it would be, just like any new set of rules. There's a reason the sport doesn't change these things on a regular basis. This formula not seeing out the decade would have to mean it's been an absolute disaster and would cost the sport / teams a fortune they will not have planned / budgeted for.

[Ufi]

If we could just get back to the times when Schumi did 19 qualy laps in Hungaroring ...
I am sick of this "management" F1

[Jambier]

If it's true that Mercedes has a 25 hp advantage over the nearest rival, then every other PU manufacturer will qualify for the highest ADUO tier. 25 hp is slightly more than 4% which activates the highest ADUO concessions. This will allow for two homologation updates this year (compared to none for Mercedes), additional budget, and additional dyno hours.

Do you have details of the ADUO tier list ?

You got it right in the AMR thread.

2-4% gets 1 new homologation for the year, after they qualify.
Greater than 4% gets 2 new homologations for the year after they qualify.

There is also additional dyno and cost cap budget included in these tiers but I don't remember the specifics. I assume it's sensible.

Very interesting, I'm wondering if every engine manufacturer is already working of an ADUO update