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FIA’s shocking admission: key flaws in ground-effect F1 era cars exposed at last

Carl Smith by Carl Smith
January 1, 2026
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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FIA’s shocking admission: key flaws in ground-effect F1 era cars exposed at last

FIA’s Jaw-Dropping Admission: Ground-Effect Era Flaws Exposed!

In a shocking revelation that has sent shockwaves through the motorsport community, FIA’s single-seater director, Nikolas Tombazis, has candidly acknowledged a monumental oversight during the tumultuous ground-effect era of Formula 1. This admission comes on the heels of the recent conclusion of the controversial four-year car cycle, which ended at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, leaving a trail of discontent among fans and drivers alike.

Prominent figures in F1, including the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, have not held back in their criticisms, labeling this period as one rife with issues. Their denunciations echo the collective frustration felt by many as they reflect on the extreme porpoising and severe plank wear that plagued the racing landscape. The ramifications of these flaws forced teams to make drastic changes to their ride height—changes that led to costly miscalculations and even disqualifications for leading teams like Ferrari and McLaren in 2025.

Tombazis did not mince words when he expressed regret over the FIA’s failure to foresee these critical flaws. “The fact that the optimum [ride height] of the cars moved so much lower was a miss in the 2022 regulations,” he confessed. “It’s something that we missed — and not only us but also the teams. In all discussions, nobody raised that issue. It was something that became obvious very, very close to the start of the championship, when it was too late to change the regulations.” His admission underscores a significant lapse in judgment that many believe should have been a priority.

Moreover, the challenge of porpoising—a phenomenon that wreaked havoc on car performance—has not fully disappeared. While Tombazis acknowledged improvements, he lamented, “I wish we had done better there.” He did, however, dismiss the notion that stricter suspension regulations would have mitigated the problem, asserting that they “don’t believe that suspension changes would have had a first-order effect.”

As the motorsport world now shifts its eyes toward the future, questions loom large over whether the new generation of F1 cars, set to debut in 2026, will escape the clutches of porpoising altogether. Tombazis remains cautiously optimistic, stating, “We believe it is very unlikely to have similar characteristics because of a much flatter floor.” He elaborated that the new designs will not exhibit the same pronounced downforce increase at lower ride heights that characterized their predecessors.

Nonetheless, he tempered this optimism with a note of caution, acknowledging that until the new cars hit the track for the first time in Barcelona later this month and Bahrain in February, nothing is guaranteed. “When the cars run for the very first time and have some issue, I wouldn’t exclude it,” he warned. “But I would say that the rules are inherently less in that direction.”

As the FIA grapples with the fallout of its past miscalculations, one thing is clear: the motorsport community is watching closely. With the promise of a new era on the horizon, fans and teams alike will be eager to see if the lessons learned from the ground-effect debacle will pave the way for a more stable and thrilling future in Formula 1 racing.

Tags: 1958-formula-1-season2025-football-season2025-mclaren-f1-championshipaf-corse-ferrariLewis Hamiltonmax-verstappen-en
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