Nigel Mansell warns FIA over 50/50 engine split and ‘chaos’ risk

Nigel Mansell has warned the FIA that it needs to ensure this year’s 50/50 electrical and combustion split doesn’t see drivers suddenly slow to conserve the battery.

After all, anything else “wouldn’t be very good, would it?”

Nigel Mansell: That wouldn’t be very good, would it?

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Never mind the new cars with their movable wings, this season Formula 1 has a new engine formula, and it is one that is widely tipped to shake up the field.

Switching to a 50/50 split between electrical and combustion power, energy management is one of the big topics in the build-up to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

There is boost mode, which a driver can use at any time during a lap, overtaking mode that they can only use when they’re within one second of the driver ahead at a certain point during the lap, and the need to recharge the battery to be able to deploy either, or both.

Reigning World Champion Lando Norris told PlanetF1.com and other media at McLaren’s launch: “The biggest challenge at the minute is battery management and knowing how to utilise that in the best way.

“You’ll see more yo-yoing, more moves with extra speed. But then that person might have to defend more than what you’ve seen in the past and that will create more chaos, which is great for you guys.”

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George Russell highlighted the importance of learning the “small techniques” to find a few percent of battery harvesting at the right time.

“It’s all a bit of surprise and understanding the small techniques that will gain you a couple of percent of energy re harvesting and just the small quirks around this new power unit,” he said.

Lift-and-coast, could become the norm. Even in qualifying. But what happens if someone suddenly does that to conserve or recharge battery power?

That could be a disaster, according to 1992 World Champion Mansell.

“The FIA have got to pay special attention that it’s still flat-out racing,” he told The Observer. “We don’t want to have situations where someone has to slow down and let everyone pass because they’re having to conserve the battery.

“I’d hate to see what happens on the motorway sometimes when these electric vehicles pull over on the side of the road because they’ve run out of power.

“That wouldn’t be very good, would it?”

Nigel Mansell’s bold predictions ahead of F1 2026

As to who could survive and overcome the chaos best, Mansell has once again put Lewis Hamilton on his list of favourites despite the Briton’s winless first season with Ferrari.

According to the Briton, Hamilton still has what it takes to fight for his record-breaking eighth World title.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on him but I think Lewis is going to have a fantastic year,” Mansell predicted. “He’s a young 41. He’s strong as an ox and super fit.

“If Ferrari put the car underneath him that he deserves he can do the business still and get that magical eighth World title.

“I don’t think it’s over yet.”

And while it’s not over for Hamilton, it’s just began for his compatriot Norris who heads into this season as the defending champion.

“He’s so young, he’s got the world at his feet,” declared Mansell. “He’s going to get better, he’s going to be more confident this year. He’s going to have another half a second in his pocket when he wants to push.

“He’s the World Champion, when anybody wears that mantle, it puts a stride in your step. You’ve done it; you’ve achieved it. It’s the most momentous thing to achieve, the world champion of anything. All power to his elbow, I think 2026 is going to be a fantastic championship.

“Mercedes are hot favourites, McLaren are there and Ferrari are there, which is incredibly exciting.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher and Mat Coch

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