Sainz highlights worrying F1 ‘trend’

Carlos Sainz has highlighted a trend regarding the weight of F1 cars, which have become increasingly heavier in recent years.

The current cars must weigh a minimum of 798 kilograms, which will increase to 800 kg for next year's campaign.

F1 challengers have dramatically soared in recent seasons, with the 2024 cars well over 100 kg heavier than those that commended the turbo hybrid era 10 years ago.

Sainz, who will leave Ferrari and join Williams next year, suggested the build-up of minor weight gains has led to the ongoing concerns.

“Obviously, two kilos is not a big change,” Sainz told media including RacingNews365. 

“The problem is when you start adding two kilos on top of another two, another two, another two.

“I think [it] is where the trend has been in Formula 1 over the last 10 years, to keep adding two kilos here, three there, five there, and then the cars have become 800 kilos heavy.”

Sainz hails safety improvements

F1 is targeting lighter cars for the 2026 season when new technical regulations will come into play, with the FIA hoping to achieve a 30 kg decrease.

Sainz highlighted a net positive amid the weight increase over the last number of years, relating to safety improvements such as the Halo device, which measures in at 9 kg. 

“In the past, they were around 600 kg,” Sainz said. “Work is going on, I guess, for 2026.

“At the same time, I think this weight has made the cars also safer because there's a lot of impact structure and a lot of work being done on the driver safety, which I'm never going to deny that I want that safety to be as high as possible. 

“But anything that we can do to bring the weight back down, I think every driver here will appreciate it. 

“We hope that the FIA and the teams are taking that into consideration when deciding future rules, not only the 2026 ones.”