The FIA has implemented unprecedented circuit-specific engine restrictions and banned active aerodynamics ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend to prevent safety hazards caused by excessive electrical energy regeneration on the tight street circuit.
Formula 1 hybrid power units utilize a mandatory 50-50 power split between the internal combustion engine and the electric MGU-K.
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While teams face battery drain at most circuits, the 3.337-kilometre Monte Carlo layout features 15 braking zones and 19 seconds of heavy deceleration per lap, causing cars to regenerate energy faster than they can spend it.
According to an official FIA document shared by Spanish outlet SoyMotor, the maximum battery recharge limit per lap has been increased to 9 megajoules for qualifying.
To prevent violent acceleration into narrow braking zones, the governing body is enforcing a bespoke "Rev 1" engine map that forces electrical power to taper off starting at 200 km/h, dropping to zero by the time a car hits 300 km/h.
Active aerodynamics, which allow front and rear wings to toggle between Corner Mode and Straight Mode, have also been disabled for the weekend.
The FIA confirmed that no Straight Mode activation zones will be designated in the Principality, locking wings into their high-downforce configurations.
The removal of the Straight Mode actuators prompted Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren to introduce large, mainplane-mounted winglets in the vacant space on the center of the upper wing elements, exploiting a regulatory loophole that exempts the small center section from standard wing height limits.
