FIA set for TWO crunch meetings on F1 2026 regulations

F1 governing body the FIA are set to hold two meetings this week to discuss the new regulations, according to reports.

Wholesale regulation changes are sweeping into the sport this year, both on the power unit side of things and in terms of aerodynamic car design.

The new cars were in action for the first time last week with the private shakedown in Barcelona, although F1 fans were not able to watch any of the action or even receive official lap times.

Nonetheless, the reliability of the 10 teams that were present in Barcelona was pretty good considering the amount of changes to the sport that they've had to contend with.

And it was Mercedes who arguably impressed the most in Barcelona, managing to put in over 500 laps, and topping the timesheets on two of their three days of running.

Mercedes have been rumoured for much of the winter to be in a good place, partly down to an alleged 'trick' that they have found regarding geometric compression ratios.

Now, The Race are reporting that the FIA are holding a meeting next week to try and agree on a framework for future testing of compression ratios when engines are running hot, involving technical experts in the discussions.

Meanwhile, they will reportedly also be holding a meeting of F1's power unit advisory committee which will also be used to discuss the alleged power unit 'trick'.

READ MORE: The 2026 F1 grid, ranked entirely on vibes

Are Mercedes set for a title battle in 2026?

The noises coming out of Mercedes in recent weeks have been very positive, and both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli may well be facing the prospect of a championship battle in 2026.

During the shakedown in Barcelona, both Russell and Antonelli issued glowing references of their new W17, and the car's reliability already seems solid.

It's impossible to predict exactly how the grid will shape up just based off testing, and the competitive order in Australia will likely be completely different to how it looks at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP as different teams develop their cars at different rates.

But in the early weeks of this year, it does very much look like Mercedes are the team to beat.

When does the 2026 F1 season start?

Russell, Antonelli and Mercedes will be back in action properly when the 2026 season starts in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.

The first race of the year takes place on March 8 at 3pm local time (AEDT), 4am GMT and 11pm ET, with practice and qualifying taking place on the Friday and Saturday that weekend.

READ MORE: Hamilton all smiles as 'winning mentality' returns to Ferrari

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