Best F1 teams will react and develop quickly to 2026 rules, says Mattia Binotto

Audi boss Mattia Binotto believes the Formula 1 team able to calibrate its simulation tools and develop its car quickest will enjoy the biggest success in the first year of the 2026 regulations overhaul.

F1 is preparing for a new era from next year, with both the power unit and chassis rules changing drastically this winter.

On the engine side there will be more emphasis on electrical energy, with a close to 50-50 split with the internal combustion engine, while for the chassis lighter and smaller cars with active aero will be introduced in a bid to improve racing.

Speaking at Audi’s launch event in Munich last week, where the German manufacturer presented its visual identity as it formally takes over the Sauber squad, CTO and COO Binotto stated the team with the fastest car at the first round won’t necessarily be the best across the season.

“I don't think we can judge who will be the best team by the start of next season,” Binotto said. “It's more how the team will be capable of reacting later.

“Because whatever will be the level of competition and the level of performance of each single team, for me, the best team will be the ones that are capable of reacting quickly, and developing quickly.”

Jonathan Wheatley, Audi Team Principal, Mattia Binotto Head of Audi F1 Project, Gernot Dollner, Audi CEO, Massimo Frascella Audi Chief Creative Officer, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto

Photo by: Audi Sport

Binotto underlined that development - in conjunction with simulation tools being accurate - will be vital to ensure upgrades deliver the expected gains in the real world, having seen a number of teams fall foul of the virtual and real-world data not connecting in the current F1 rules era.

“There will be a significant change as well on the aero and on the vehicle side,” the former Ferrari team principal explained. “So, it's combining two effects, both the power unit and the chassis and the aero.

“We believe that the parameters, or the variables that before were important for performance, may be different tomorrow. So, we believe that with the new regulations, what counted before to go fast could be different.

“So, it means that as well, all the tools that were back in the factory, the simulations that were fine-tuned for the current regulations, need to be completely reviewed for the next one, because it's not the same parameters that will have the same level of importance.

“I think that change is something which we are not used to. And it may be that at the start of next season, some of the teams would have done it properly, some others not, because the tools are not yet properly tuned.”