As drivers complain of the need to change their driving style, Nikolas Tombazis insists that F1 cars shouldn't be easy to drive.

Form veterans, world champions and those still fairly new to the F1 grid, many of those inhabiting the 2026 F1 grid have complained that the new generation of car has forced them to change their driving style.

2025 world champion, Lando Norris is one of several to claim that the 2026 is the most difficult car to handle in his entire F1 career.

While Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's single-seater Director, doesn't exactly deny this, he insists that F1 cars shouldn't be easy to drive.

"They are still quite difficult cars to drive for the drivers, which I think is good, that they're not just cars that anybody can drive," says the Greek, according to Autosport. "Some of the aerodynamic regulations push towards teams not being able to address every single aspect of a car through a corner, and therefore they do have some challenges," he adds.

"But I think when we have the 22 best drivers in the world, we should also have cars that are not exactly easy for my grandma to drive."

Other than a shorter, narrower wheelbase, the 2026 car is 30kgs lighter than its predecessor, however, looking ahead to the next regulation cycle Tombazis admits to seeking an even greater weight reduction.

"The cars are a bit lighter and a bit smaller, which the drivers have appreciated," he says of the current cars. "Now, is that where I would like us to be? No," he admits. "I would like us to be another 80 kilos lighter, and maybe still a bit shorter and a bit smaller in the future.

"That's the sort of target, that we do another big step from what was possible to do now. I think this is not a bad step, but it's not like I'm saying, 'Yes, job done, that's the target'. We want to go to another step of lightness in the future, and also the weight, a significant step.

"This is the first time I think Formula 1 cars have become lighter since probably the year 2000, I would say at least, or maybe earlier."

Of course, it is the power unit regulations that are at the heart of most of the criticism, and the sport continues to work on this. However, in terms of the cars, Tombazis believes the sport is heading in the right direction.

"Although one should never assume that the job is finished, I do think cars follow each other more closely," he says.

"I believe we are similar to where we were at the start of the 2022 championship," he adds, "but I think it's a bit more robust this year. The various aerodynamic solutions they've had, we haven't found something that has broken the concept, whereas in the previous regulations there were a few things that actually did significantly compromise the concept.

"That mainly relates to the front wing endplates in the last generation car, the floor edges and all the furniture on the front wheel. All of those things made the wake characteristics significantly worse. We learned from that and I think hopefully there isn't any equivalent issue."