F1 teams offered 2026 insight with new rule change

The FIA has changed its sporting regulations for next year, allowing for 10 days of mule car testing ahead of Formula 1's new era in 2026.

New power unit rules come into force that year, with an associated change in the aerodynamics of the cars. The 10 F1 teams will be allowed to run mule cars to ensure they do not go into the season on the back foot.

Mule cars are not unusual to F1 as they have been seen in the past to help with development ahead of an upcoming rule change. The car is modified from that year's specification to help assess the effects likely to be imposed with the new rules.

Mule cars were used, for instance, to help Pirelli with its development of 18-inch tyres now used in F1.

Under the new regulations, the FIA has outlined the requirements for the 'testing of mule cars' [TMC], with Article 10.10 now in force.

Notably, the cars 'must include and are limited to the minimal modifications necessary for the purpose of testing development tyres or for testing components or systems on behalf of the FIA for future championship seasons, as determined by the FIA'.

The car used must also be a suitably modified car designed and constructed to comply with the technical regulations of any of the four calendar years falling immediately before the year of the championship.

With the exception of permitted changes, the cars must only use components and software of a specification that have been used in at least one race or testing of a current car during any of the four calendar years before the year of the championship.

The 10 days of testing will take place between January 1 and December 31, and can only be carried out by a driver in possession of a full super licence, and who 'must have competed in at least one F11 competition during their careers, or have previously completed a minimum of 500 kilometres of running in a current Formula 1 car consistently at racing speeds'.

The new regulations further state no test items can be used. This ensures no advantages can be gained relating to current cars.