FIA confirms F1 2026 aero testing ban - here's what it means

Following a recent meeting of the F1 Commission, a number of changes were announced, including the intention for teams to be prohibited from starting development work on their 2026 car before the start of 2025. 

The idea is to stop teams from shifting all of their focus to the new rules early and potentially gaining a major competitive edge. 

But the move - which mirrors a similar agreement prior to the 2022 regulation shake-up - has now been formally ratified by F1’s governing body. 

As such, teams will not be allowed to carry out any wind tunnel or CFD work for the new-generation cars until January 1 2025. 

The updated sporting regulations for the 2024 F1 season now state: “In order to prevent testing which aims to develop for the 2026 season, from 1/12/2023 until 1/1/2025 inclusive, RWTT [restricted wind tunnel testing] may only be carried out using a scale model that substantially complies with the 2023, 2024 or 2025 F1 technical regulations.

“With the exception of dyno testing aimed to develop brake system components with minimal air ducting and provided such tests do not concurrently test (or in any way provide incidental data or knowledge on) the performance or endurance of parts or systems classified as bodywork, no wind tunnel testing may be carried out using car geometry partially or wholly compliant with and/or substantially derived from drafts and/or published versions of the 2026 F1 Technical Regulations or FIA proposed 2026 bodywork geometries and concepts.”