FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has insisted it will push forward with its 2026 power unit regulation plans in the face of fears a 'technical Frankenstein' could be created. The new regulations will see the removal of the MGU-H and an increase in the energy ratio between electric and fuel combustion used for propulsion. Synthetic fuels will also be introduced as F1 and the FIA continue to strive for its net-zero carbon target set for 2030. But Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner warned earlier this season that the 2026 engine regulations written as they are now would lead to compromises being made on the chassis side of development, creating technical "Frankenstein's". Horner's fears were met with opposition from former Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer, who suggested the French manufacturer wanted to keep the regulations as they were currently tilted.
'I always listen'
Responding to Horner's concerns, Ben Sulayem told Motorsport-Total : "At the end of the day, that's his opinion. "I respect what Christian says, but for me, what's more important is what is good for the majority of teams and what is good for the sport as a whole. "I talked to him in Hungary - I always listen to the opinions of the stakeholders. "He didn't seem to care much about the percentage distribution [between electric and combustion]. Whether that's 60:40, 45:55 or 52:48. At the end of the day, it's about why we're doing this - which is because we want to reduce emissions by 80 per cent." "Maybe we're a little too optimistic there. But we're aiming for 80 per cent, which should come from lighter cars, from the internal combustion engine, from the battery, from aerodynamics, and from less gasoline. "It all adds up to something. If we slack off on just one sub-area, we won't reach the target."
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