FIA Confirms 2026 Car Tweaks, Wolff’s ‘Revenge’ Over Antonelli Stirs Driver Market

The FIA has confirmed tweaks to the 2026 F1 cars after a crunch meeting, easing concerns on the 50/50 split. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is criticised for promoting Kimi Antonelli after Max Verstappen rejected the seat, sparking drama.

Why it matters:

• The 2026 overhaul reshapes budgets, race strategy and the competitive order, while Wolff’s driver move tests Mercedes’ talent pipeline and could pressure rivals.

The details:

• FIA adds a mandatory rear‑wing adjuster, tightens floor‑flex limits and softens lift‑and‑coast penalties after feedback from 22 drivers.
• Drivers still worry about the 50/50 hybrid split, flagging dangerous closing speeds in sprint races and calling for clearer energy‑recovery rules.
• Steiner says Wolff’s “revenge” follows Verstappen’s refusal to give Antonelli a seat; the rookie already has two wins in the opening three rounds.

What's next:

• Teams must homologate the revised parts before the July test; any breach could bring grid penalties.
• The FIA will hold an August technical review to re‑evaluate the 50/50 hybrid impact and may tweak lift‑and‑coast rules before the summer break.