One of the criticisms of the current ground effect machines is that they are far too heavy – with the current minimum weight limit being set at 798kg.
Although this figure does include a baseline element for the drivers, it is still a far cry from the 585kg that the cars alone weighed in 2008.
Much of the increase in weight has come from the move to hybrid powerunits that include heavy batteries, as well as a raft of safety measures including tougher impact protection structures and the Halo.
But the FIA is aware that there has been a tendency for the minimum weight limit to creep up as the result of teams putting pressure on the governing body to raise things to compensate for new car elements.
This is something that it wants to avoid for 2026, as it feels that it will be a better policy to declare a weight limit for the start of the new rules cycle and then stick to it.
Its stance comes amid an outline plan to bring F1 car weight down by 40 to 50 kilos in 2026 – which will be helped by smaller cars and wheels.
Source: Autosport