Adrian Newey reveals the ‘worst thing’ about future F1 regulations

Adrian Newey reckoned there were multiple issues with the 2026 regulations which could give the teams a hard time to work over.

Adrian Newey reveals the ‘worst thing’ about future F1 regulations

Adrian Newey, via IMAGO

Adrian Newey has one of the most highly decorated careers in the history of F1. The aero-genius had led multiple teams to championship-winning success. Newey also had one of the best interpretations of the new regulations at the pinnacle of motorsport. However, upon the new regulations for the 2026 season, the technical wizard has raised some problems.

Adrian Newey doesn’t hesitate to call out the sport over the unwarranted changes. The aero-genius reckoned that the teams were forced to work under a very prescriptive set of regulations. Newey also highlighted that the drive for zero tailpipe emission seemed wrong to him under the new set of regulations for the 2026 season.

We end up working to a very prescribed and prescriptive set of regulations. The drive is for zero tailpipe emissions by whenever the moving target settles. It seems the wrong thing to me.
Adrian Newey said, as reported by motorsportmagazine.
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Adrian Newey’s exceptional work in Red Bull’s chassis during the ground-effect era led the team to monumental success. Newey’s racecraft enabled the Austrian constructor to dominate the playfield for the entirety of the season.

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However, with the 65-year-old leaving Red Bull, the team’s performance in the 2026 season could tumble. Additionally, the Englishman’s rumored move to Ferrari could enable the Italian constructor to soar to a newer height in F1.

Adrian Newey claims engine regulations were ‘pushed through’ without thinking about chassis development

The new set of regulations for the 2026 season has already been berated by multiple people including Christian Horner. The Red Bull boss highlighted that the engine regulations could pose a battery championship amongst teams without actual competition. Additionally, even Newey had a similar thought regarding the engine-heavy regulations.

Adrian Newey and Max Verstappen
Adrian Newey and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

The 65-year-old claimed that the engine regulations for the 2026 season were created without much thought. The governing body overlooked the aerodynamic side of the chassis while creating the engine rules. Hence, this could create larger problems in trying to come up with a solution to make the engine perform better.

It is fair to say that the engine regulations were created and pushed through without very much thought to the chassis side of it. And that is now creating quite large problems in terms of trying to come up with a solution to work with it.
Adrian Newey added.

Regardless, multiple teams like Mercedes and Ferrari have already started working on the development of the 2026 chassis. The teams are highly eager to witness what the new regulations hold in terms of competition. Red Bull’s highly dominant performance in the ground-effect era could finally find its saturation point by 2026.

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