Nikolas Tombazis: the championship-winner shaping F1’s next generation

F1: Beyond The Grid

He’s an engineer who won Formula 1 World Championships with Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen. Now he’s working on the rules of the sport for 2026 and beyond.

Nikolas Tombazis is the Director of Single Seaters for the FIA. He is overseeing the regulations for the 2026 season, when F1 cars will be lighter, smaller and sustainably fuelled, with greater battery power and revolutionary active aerodynamics. He tells Tom Clarkson how the new rules have been designed to create close, competitive racing which is thrilling to watch.

Nikolas also looks back at his career in F1, when he enjoyed domination and experienced disappointment. Championships with Michael Schumacher at Benneton were followed by more success at Ferrari, with Schumi and Kimi Raikkonen. A move to McLaren during a difficult period brought challenges. His return to Ferrari brought agony as Fernando Alonso missed out on the 2010 title, in a showdown which still plays on Tombazis’ mind.

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