FIA Clarifies 2026 F1 Speed Limits Following Wolff‘s Claim
Following comments from Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff suggesting 2026 Formula 1 cars could potentially reach 400 km/h, the FIA has moved to clarify the situation, stating such speeds will not be permitted.
Wolff recently told German publication Car, engine and sport that, “when full power is deployed, we’ll be approaching the 400 km/h limit” with the new generation of power units. He elaborated ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, explaining that deploying all available energy on a single straight could theoretically allow cars to reach that speed, though at the expense of energy for other parts of the track. “Sounds good,no?” wolff saeid to media,including RacingNews365. “Everybody’s talking those engines down, so I had to figure out – is there anything positive? And that is, if you were to deploy – obviously it sounds sarcastic – but if you were to deploy all the energy on a single straight, you could make those cars go 400 kilometres an hour.”
However,FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis dismissed the possibility,characterizing Wolff’s remarks as “more of a light-hearted comment.” Tombazis explained that while the cars possess the power and low aerodynamic resistance to conceivably exceed 400 km/h under specific, combined conditions, current regulations prevent it.
“I can assure you there won’t be speeds of 400km/h,” Tombazis told PlanetF1. ”The way all the energy management regulations work, that is not possible, physically or engineering-wise.” He emphasized the FIA’s control over these regulations and their willingness to intervene for safety reasons. “We have quite a lot of control, as FIA, on those regulations, and on top of that, we have a strong card to play if necessary, and that is for safety reasons. We could intervene if there was anything, but we are quite confident and quite sure that the regulations don’t permit those sorts of speeds.”
The FIA’s stance aligns with comments made by four-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, who stated the governing body “won’t allow it.” Tombazis concluded by reiterating that the car’s performance envelope, without regulatory constraints, woudl allow for such speeds, but that the FIA will ensure this does not occur.
