More F1 2026 fears rise as Fernando Alonso questions ‘impossible’ weight target
Fernando Alonso speaks to the media.
The FIA announced its complete slate of Formula 1 2026 regulations, and while the cars might sound promising in practice, several drivers have already shared initial skepticism about how those rules will become reality.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is one such driver. Speaking to media ahead of the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, Alonso expressed skepticism about the alleged 30kg drop in weight. According to the Spaniard, that’s an “impossible target.”
Weight will increase due to ‘power unit,’ says Fernando Alonso
A significant change expected in 2026 involves an increase in electrical power. The power will be equally divided between an electric battery and an internal combustion engine. This is a tripling of the electric power compared to the current power units.
The latest announcement from the FIA revealed that the cars’ wheelbase and width will be reduced and downforce will be cut by 30%, with drag reduced by 55%. This is all aimed at ideally making overtaking easier.
The FIA has also suggested a desirable 30kg decrease in weight for the new car compared to the existing one.
F1’s 2026 regulations, explained:
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Speaking to media ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Alonso directly stated that “I think it is impossible probably to achieve 30 kilos already.
“If the power unit is 50% electric and you need the batteries to support that, cars will just increase 20 or 30 kilos because of the power unit. And then you want to reduce 30 [kg] — you need to drop 60 kilos of the current car, which is the same as at the moment, probably to the teams, an impossible target.”
Alonso conceded that while the “intelligent individuals” creating these new machines may come up with some innovative solutions to these engineering problems, it will still be a challenge.
Alex Albon from Williams also expressed his wish for “more simple engines” to the gathered media.
Current automotive trends have seen a growth in the use of hybridization over full electric power; to remain on the cutting edge of technology, F1 obviously needs to follow the same path.
On the other hand, the enhanced efficiency and power brought by a hybrid powertrain come with a downside in weight. Batteries are naturally heavy, and so far, engineers haven’t found an easy way to make them lighter. These new powertrains could offer an excellent chance for F1 innovation, but it won’t be a piece of cake.
Read next: Lewis Hamilton claims F1 2026 regs weight saving falls short with cars looking ‘pretty slow’
