A meeting between the drivers and the FIA to discuss the direction of the current regulations is said to have been extremely positive, ahead of a decisive rules meeting on Monday.

A meeting between the FIA, FOM, the team bosses, and the power unit manufacturers is set to take place on Monday to table and vote on proposals regarding changes to the energy management and deployment rules.

FIA and drivers aligned ahead of rules vote

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The regulations, as they stand, have been a key talking point of the first three race weekends, due to the unusual changes in driver behaviour that they require.

With the new power units being ‘energy-starved’ due to the introduced ratio of a near 50/50 split between the internal combustion engine [ICE] and the electrical output, the requirement for drivers to harvest energy into the 4mJ battery in order for constant deployment around a lap has triggered the shift in driving dynamics.

Most notable of these are long periods of ‘lift-and-coast’, and downshifting along straights, alongside a requirement for a general passivity to corners, as fully attacking a turn can result in a less optimal use of energy, leaving a driver exposed down a straight.

Alongside an engine mapping technique known as ‘superclipping’, which sees power from the ICE bleed away as it is harvested into the battery at a rate of 250kW, it has resulted in a very different feel to a race weekend.

The drivers, by and large, have been openly critical of the changes that have meant corners are now energy-limited rather than grip-limited, which is quite a fundamental change from how F1 has been, traditionally.

Some have been very vocal in calling for change, particularly the likes of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, although it can be said there is broad agreement amongst the drivers that the general enjoyment of the driving experience has been reduced.

Added to that is the safety aspect, which was brought into sharp focus at Suzuka. After months of drivers pointing out that the large deltas in closing speeds, due to algorithm-controlled energy deployment at different points around a lap, Oliver Bearman suffered a huge accident in the Japanese Grand Prix as he swerved off the track to avoid Franco Colapinto’s Alpine.

The Argentine had not backed off but, due to his different state of energy deployment, was driving circa 50km/h slower than Bearman as the Haas driver caught him into Spoon. With Bearman losing control in avoidance, he hit the barriers with a 50G impact, thankfully escaping unhurt.

With the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix offering a big gap in the calendar to review the data from the opening three rounds, two already-held meetings between technical experts have explored options for what can be done to massage the regulations towards a more natural driving experience, as well as reduce the potential for such dangerous incidents.

As previously explained, wholesale change is not anticipated, and it’s understood that a leading proposal is that of reducing the maximum harvestable energy around a lap from 8.5mJ; while this would result in overall slower laptimes, it would not require particularly unusual techniques from the drivers to harvest energy. Another leading proposal is that of increasing the superclipping harvesting rate to 350kW, which would reduce the duration of the top-speed bleeding.

The drivers have also complained about not feeling heard in their criticisms, with Hamilton explaining at Suzuka that the drivers don’t have a voice on any committee involved in the decision-making process.

It’s understood that the drivers’ feelings of not being heard are more in reference to their teams, with the “vested interests” of the teams obviously being quite different from those of the drivers: while a team or power unit manufacturer may wish to continue in a particular direction due to a competitive advantage, this is not necessarily in line with a driver’s wishes for overall enjoyment or ability to utilise their talents.

To that end, PlanetF1.com understands a particularly collaborative meeting between the FIA and the drivers was held on Friday, which sources have indicated was “extremely positive” in reaching common ground over how to proceed with rules tweaks.

George Russell, director of the GPDA [Grand Prix Drivers’ Association] is said to be a leading voice in the discussions with the governing body.

Speaking to the media, including PlanetF1.com, on Friday, the Mercedes driver said there are a number of key changes the drivers would like to see made.

“I think definitely a lot of drivers have a lot of views following Japan,” he said.

“I think, regardless of the incident that happened in Japan, it was always planned for a discussion with all of the drivers: F1, the FIA, on how to make some small improvements to these regulations.

“Of course, there are things that we want to improve, like qualifying, flat-out qualifying, and not having to do the lift and coast.

“I think there’s been some very positive conversations with the FIA, and everybody’s aligned on what we’re trying to achieve. So looking forward to seeing that come to fruition from Miami onwards.

“I think the two headline points are flat-out qualifying, with no lift and coast, and then reducing the closing speeds.

“The closing speeds of the Bearman and Colapinto crash were twofold. Bearman was on his boost button and giving himself 350 kilowatts.

“So he had an abundance of power in an abnormal part of the track. On the flip side, Colapinto used his boost on the main straight half a lap before and was low in his battery, so he had a lack of power.

“So that is, at least in my eyes, where these closing speed differences are coming from. I think the FIA is definitely very much aware of that.

“From the driver’s perspective, [we’re] just looking to reduce that closing speed in abnormal areas, and especially in non-SM [straight-line mode].

“If there’s a straight that isn’t an SM mode, that means it’s because it’s a corner, and of course, the Bearman crash was in a non-SM part of the track. So I think we’re all aligned on those points.”

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It’s understood that several key changes have essentially been agreed upon between the drivers and the FIA following this meeting, but this doesn’t mean change is guaranteed: the GPDA does not have a voice in governance.

It’s not until Monday’s meeting with team figures that these measures can be voted upon, due to the governance structure requiring F1 Commission approval before going to the World Motor Sport Council [WMSC] for ratification.

It’s said that there is considerable interest in seeing what direction the team leaders vote, as there is an expectation that “common sense” will prevail for the benefit of the sport as a whole.

However, it’s worth pointing out that, regardless of the results of the vote, the FIA, as the governing body, does have the power to override and mandate changes on safety grounds, should it feel that such changes are necessary.

As for Russell, the British driver has said the constant communication and feedback loop with the FIA has resulted in the relationship significantly strengthening, as there is a feeling within the GPDA that they are being heard.

“This break offered a good opportunity for everyone to go around that loop,” he said.

“The FIA has been in a lot of comms with a handful of drivers, and that’s been sort of collective, and at least from the FIA technical standpoint, it’s probably the closest relationship we’ve had with them in numerous years. So that’s very positive to see.

“There will be a compromise somewhere because, right now, the cars are set up to produce the fastest lap times possible, which is leading to this lift and coast driving style and a bit of energy management here and there, but there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit.

“For example, the minus 350-kilowatt superclip is a no-brainer, and that already, in itself, is going to avoid a lot of lift and coast.

“There are other small parts of the regulation that say you can only derate the engine at a certain rate, so on a very short straight, there isn’t enough time to go from 350 kilowatts to a superclip because the straight is too short.

“Some small changes around these regulations will have a major improvement for the overall sort of driving experience.”

With a common ground said to have been reached between the drivers and the FIA, the next step is to await the outcome of discussions from the team personnel meeting that takes place on Monday, April 20.

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