David Coulthard names which F1 rule should ‘definitely’ change to make racing better

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Formula 1 is set to adopt new rules in the 2026 season in what will be one of the most dramatic shake ups in the championships 70-year history.

Revised aerodynamic regulations will see the cars work in tandem with the new power units, which include increased battery power and the use of 100 per cent sustainable fuels.

Although the draft of the 2026 technical regulations was released earlier this year, the teams have yet to fully sign off on a concept before they can work on them in January next year.

The latest F1 Commission meeting that took place in Geneva claimed that the final draft will be put before the next FIA World Motrorsport Council meeting on 6th December.

Discussing any changes that they would like to see take place in F1 for the future on the Formula for Success podcast, David Coulthard thinks there is one rule that should ‘definitely’ be changed in time for the 2026 season.

David Coulthard wants to see lighter F1 cars in the future

The weight of F1 cars has come under the spotlight in recent years now that it has increased to 798kg for the 2024 season, with drivers expected to weigh a minimum of 80kg.

Max Verstappen has complained that the weight of the cars is too high, with the FIA planning to decrease the weight by 30kg for the 2026 season.

Coulthard believes the next generation of cars need to be more like ‘sports cars’ to drive, but agrees that much of the downforce should come from the underfloor of the car.

“I would definitely say reduce the weight. The cars were 605kg when I raced and 630kg in the first KERS era, over 700kg with fuel they were like sports cars. Downforce, you used to trim the downforce for Hockenheim and Monza and the race was the race.

“Then you would put a load of downforce on for Monaco. I think it’s about having more of the downforce coming from the underside of the car and creating less wake, allowing them to run closer together.”

Eddie Jordan thinks the cars should be more ‘nimble’ to drive: “The weight needs to go back, I think in my day they were about 500kg and you had Michael Schumacher and Andrea de Cesaris. That was when the cars were at their most nimble, they danced around the circuit and looked as if they were on top of the road. That was as much about the weight as anything else.”

F1 car weight increase over the last 10 years

The weight of F1 cars has increased signficantly over the last 10 years, with various improvements made to safety and the addition of battery units adding more weight to the cars.

In the 2014 season, the cars peaked at 691kg but that rose significantly in 2017 when the teams adopted radical new regulations including wider wheels and tyres and longer cars.

The introduction of the Halo cockpit protection device in 2018 added another six kilos to the overall weight of the cars, while the 18-inch wheels added even more weight in 2022.

In 2025 the overall weight is set to rise again with the allowance of the drivers raising by 2kg, meaning the minimum weight will be a record high at 800kg.