F1 2026

satanboy said:
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That is why F1 is on its way down technically whilst it is growing in popularity.
Bernie Ecclestone famously stated that he was only interested in the older audience that could afford to buy Rolex Watches and Premium Champaign." Which of course meant the older, and richer, audiences.
FoM, on the other hand, have taken the typical American "Nickle and Dime" view of Quantity over Quality.
They pitch the sport at a video game generation where gimmicks and in play bonus points become more important than driving style and tactics. Unfortunately, it is working for them and we are now the dinosaurs unwilling to change..........
 
These cars are not going away if this happens.

A grid of opportunity: BYD considers leap into Formula 1!​


In Formula 1, whispers often travel faster than the cars themselves. And lately, one name has been echoing through the paddock: BYD.

Fresh off its surge to the top of the global electric vehicle market – edging past rivals like Tesla – BYD is no longer just dominating roads. It may now be eyeing the racetrack.

At the center of the speculation sits a meeting that could prove pivotal. BYD has openly acknowledged conversations with Formula 1’s top leadership, including CEO Stefano Domenicali.

It’s not a formal bid – yet – but it’s far from idle curiosity.

Speaking at the Beijing motor show, BYD vice president Stella Li confirmed the growing relationship.

“We met Stefano Domenicali in Shanghai. We maintain a warm relationship and are in regular contact,” she told Sportmediaset.
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Formula 1’s increasing shift toward hybrid and electrified technologies aligns neatly with BYD’s identity as a global EV powerhouse. For a company built on innovation and scale, the sport offers something few other platforms can: a global proving ground under extreme conditions.

And for Li, the attraction isn’t just technical – it’s emotional.

“I love Formula 1 because it’s all about passion and culture, and people dream of driving in Formula 1.”

That blend of engineering excellence and human drama could make F1 an irresistible stage for BYD’s ambitions.

“Yes, we are talking about it.. It’s a real opportunity to test our technology,” Li concluded.

Those words – simple but loaded – hint at a serious evaluation rather than casual curiosity.
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Agent_Smith said:
Oof, the Concorde Agreement would have to be ripped up and redrafted should this happen. Based on how much convincing the existing teams took to let Cadillac join, another team cutting into the pie would have to be a huge sell!
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The biggest EV producer in the world from what is still a largely untapped market if you consider the upper potential. It could be a pretty easy sell if the $$$ line up.

I'm sure Liberty and F1 will be happy to throw in a couple of street races in a Chinese megacity or two.
 
JerryMungo said:
The current teams would be the sticking point.
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That is why I mentioned the potential market in China. F1 is making bank off of the aggressively targeted, and expanded, US audience. The potential Chinese audience if further unlocked dwarfs the US. Throw in a Chinese driver (Sergio Perez has done wonders for F1's merchandise sales because of his appeal in the US) and the pie the F1s teams share grows.
 
thestaggy said:
The biggest EV producer in the world from what is still a largely untapped market if you consider the upper potential. It could be a pretty easy sell if the $$$ line up.

I'm sure Liberty and F1 will be happy to throw in a couple of street races in a Chinese megacity or two.
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Certainly would bring more eyes to F1 - there's definitely space for another team imho but not sure if BYD would be first in line if F1 invited interest for another... Would be interesting if they made a play for the baby RB team though?
 
JerryMungo said:
Do elaborate for our amusement.
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I lift my glass of 12 year old Chivas Regal as a toast to the oncoming flame wars ;)
But it is really all down to personal taste and affordability.
I prefer a blend and yes, I do take it with a splash of cold water, others would consider that a sacrilege.
But are any F1 teams sponsored by a distiller or is this way off topic?
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/2049565366838345964

"Scuderia Ferrari put in significant effort on development during the given break, and the SF-26 we'll see in Miami will be seriously different from the version used in the first 3 races.

👉 In terms of the car's aerodynamic structure, this package covers all areas from the front to the rear. It starts with an updated front wing at the level of the flaps and endplates; the main profile's geometry has also been modified. The brake cooling air intakes have been rearranged, with a particular focus on the profile of the air outlets. Changes have been made in the diffuser region and the front edge of the floor, incorporating small aerodynamic components that generate vortices.

- There's also a major optimization effort in the sidepod region. The floor in particular has a different structure along the side edges and the area in front of the rear wheels; new sections and profiles have been used to direct airflow toward the rear of the car. Some updates that aren't visible from the outside have also been made to the diffuser's floor and exit edge. Finally, the rear wing features the renewed "Macarena."

- Ferrari actually expanded the major aero package it had originally planned for Bahrain. In particular, some floor-related components that were set to arrive in Canada according to the original plan have been brought forward. The changes to the energy management software spotted during the last filming day in Monza weren't just regulatory adaptations for Miami; the team led by Enrico Gualtieri completely overhauled the power unit's energy recovery algorithms. However, these changes aren't expected to seriously close the gap with the Mercedes-Benz power unit.

- The SF-26 has undergone evolution in nearly every aerodynamic area: front wing (flaps, main profile, and endplates), new components on the halo base, diffuser, floor edges and the area in front of the rear wheel, plus the sidepod underbody region. And finally, the "Macarena" rear wing.

- In summary, Maranello has been working non-stop over the last month to bring a less vulnerable SF-26 to Miami qualifying and a more balanced one in the final stint of the race (when fuel is low). This could confirm what both Frédéric Vasseur and the other team principals have said: the 2026 season could evolve into a different scenario starting from Miami than what we've seen so far. They believe it in Maranello!"


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Some different livies on display this weekend.

Racing Bulls going for a yellow look, inspired by some variant of Red Bull (Sudachi Lime Summer Edition)
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While Cadillac are going for the Stars and Stripes look for their first home race
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