F1 insider calls for FIA rule change as championship-winning driver 'too tall' for current cars

Respected F1 insider Peter Windsor has called on the FIA to adjust its rules if F3 champion Ugo Ugochukwu is too tall for the current cars.

Ugochukwu, who turned 19 in April, has had a strong single-seater career so far, most recently winning the FIA F3 championship in Madrid last weekend.

The American driver also has a Macau Grand Prix victory on his already-impressive CV, and was formerly a part of McLaren's junior driver programme before they dropped him ahead of the 2026 campaign.

However, for all his success to date, there are concerns that he could be too tall to be an F1 driver.

No official figure exists for Ugochukwu's height, but reports put him at around 6ft4. That is two inches taller than the tallest driver in F1 currently, Haas' Ollie Bearman, who reportedly stands at 6ft2.

Windsor calls for FIA rule change to accommodate Ugochukwu

Windsor discussed Ugochukwu’s recent F3 success on the Cameron CC YouTube channel post-Madrid, questioning McLaren’s decision to let him go from their junior programme earlier this year.

When it was put to Windsor that his height could have played a part, he was adamant that the FIA should make accommodations for taller drivers, and certainly for one as talented as Ugochukwu.

“The FIA have changed the template for chassis design to accommodate taller drivers a lot, and they've done a very good job with that,” Windsor said.

“If now there's another driver who's too tall for the car to be comfortable, they need to change the template again. I'm sorry.

“We shouldn't be isolating a driver of this talent because he's too tall for Formula 1, it’s wrong, it shouldn’t happen.”

Windsor: F1 shouldn't isolate drivers based on height

Windsor continued, discussing the difficulty of making such changes, and when they would most likely be able to be introduced.

“It's very easy to do that, to change the thing,” he added. “Maybe not in 12 months, but you can certainly do it in 24 months.

“And you know, we shouldn't be isolating drivers purely because of their height, [especially] somebody of that quality, no way!”

READ MORE: Christian Horner 'perfect man' to fix Ferrari as F1 star highlights Vasseur's 'big mistake'

READ MORE: Martin Brundle grid walks are an F1 institution, but it is time to retire them

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

F1 backed into a corner after bold Melbourne decision on Australian Grand Prix

• 1 hour ago

Ferrari plan one last Lewis Hamilton F1 title assault with exciting upgrades

• 2 hours ago

F1 approve controversial rule change as races set to be SHORTER in 2027

• 3 hours ago

FIA penalty points: Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli update ahead of Azerbaijan Grand Prix

• 3 hours ago

Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari F1 boss branded 'Napoleon' who has an 'allergy to Maranello'

• Today 18:44

Aston Martin shock revealed as Brundle calls for F1 star to be axed - Fernando Alonso F1 future RECAP

• Today 17:45