As Formula 1 evolves, 2025 brings notable changes to technical and sporting rules, setting the stage for 2026’s revolutionary overhaul.
The 2025 F1 season will mark the final year under the current ground-effect car regulations. Despite major changes to chassis and engines planned for 2026, adjustments to both the Sporting and Technical Regulations will be introduced in 2025. Below, we outline the key points.
Sporting Regulations
The rule awarding a point for the fastest lap will be abolished. Since 2019, any driver finishing in the top ten who set the fastest lap earned a bonus point. This rule will no longer apply in 2025.
There will also be an increase in FP1 sessions for rookie drivers. The requirement to field a young driver during free practice will rise from once per season per car to twice per season per car.
Restrictions will tighten on the Testing of Previous Cars (TPC). TPC will be limited to 20 days, with championship drivers restricted to a maximum of 1,000 kilometers over four test days.
Testing will only be allowed on circuits featured in the current or previous year’s calendar. However, testing is prohibited on circuits hosting a race within 60 days of the test or if the circuit has undergone significant modifications since its last race.
The Sporting Regulations will include specific provisions for setting starting grids if qualifying sessions for Sprints or Grands Prix are canceled. In such cases, the starting grid will be determined by the drivers’ championship standings.
Previously, the starting grid order was left to the sole discretion of the stewards if a qualifying session could not take place. If the drivers’ championship standings cannot be used, grid order will remain at the discretion of the stewards.
The grid closure protocol for instances where certain cars do not start a race has been revised following the grid formation process for cars withdrawn before the São Paulo Grand Prix in 2024.
The final grid will now be determined one hour before the race start. Cars withdrawn up to 75 minutes before the start will not be included in the final grid, and all remaining cars will move up accordingly.
Technical Regulations
The minimum driver weight will increase from 80 kg to 82 kg. Consequently, the overall minimum car weight without fuel will also rise from 798 kg to 800 kg.
A driver cooling kit will be introduced for 2025. This system will only be mandated by the FIA under extreme heat conditions, with the minimum car weight adjusted accordingly. This measure aims to prevent a recurrence of the driver overheating issues experienced at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.
When the FIA forecasts temperatures above 30.5°C, a ‘heat risk’ will be declared. This will require teams to equip drivers with cooling systems, and the minimum car weight will increase by 5 kg to accommodate the additional components.
The rear wing gaps for the two DRS modes will be modified, with the minimum gap reduced. It will change from 10-15 millimeters to 9.4-13 millimeters, while the maximum gap remains capped at 85 millimeters when DRS is open.
The FIA will also strengthen rules regarding DRS modes, specifying that only two positions are permitted, and that deactivation of the DRS must return the wing precisely to its initial defined mode.
The F1 Teams’ Dilemma: Focus on 2025 or 2026?
The goal for Formula 1 teams will undoubtedly be to maximize the performance of their 2025 cars while preparing to pivot quickly toward 2026 and the regulatory overhaul that awaits.
Top teams, if they manage a smooth transition and build on their momentum from the end of 2024, could shift focus to 2026 sooner, relying on minimal development for their 2025 car. However, a tightly contested championship could disrupt this strategy.
History offers a parallel: in 2008, McLaren and Ferrari battled for the title until the final race, forcing them to prioritize the current season rather than the new regulations for 2009. This opened the door for Brawn GP and Red Bull to execute better transitions and outperform them the following year.
For midfield or backmarker teams, such as Honda (later Brawn GP) and Red Bull in 2008, this represents a significant opportunity. Sacrificing one season to focus entirely on the new regulations can yield transformative results. Notably, Stake F1 is rumored to be adopting this approach in preparation for Audi’s debut.
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2025 F1 Regulations: Major Updates Before 2026 Overhaul 2025 F1 Regulations: Major Updates Before 2026 Overhaul 2025 F1 Regulations: Major Updates Before 2026 Overhaul
