FIA Asks Fans to Help Shape the Next Generation of Touring Cars
The FIA is asking racing fans to help shape its next top-level touring-car rules before technical regulations are written. A global survey opened October 12, 2026, and will accept responses through October 25.
The regulator is starting with the racing fans want to see
The questionnaire asks about vehicle appearance, performance, race formats and the qualities that make touring-car competition distinctive. The FIA says the responses will inform a new technical platform intended to produce close racing while remaining cost-effective for manufacturers and teams.
No replacement category, powertrain formula or launch date has been announced. The survey is an early consultation, not a vote on finished regulations, and the FIA will still have to balance fan preferences against safety, cost, manufacturer interest and technical feasibility.
Why the next rules matter
International touring-car racing has moved through several structures, including Super 2000, TC1 and today’s TCR platform. Each formula has made different tradeoffs among production-car relevance, speed, engineering freedom and budgets. A new ruleset could determine which brands participate, how closely the cars resemble showroom models and whether private teams can compete sustainably.
The FIA’s stated target is a class with cars that are spectacular to watch, demanding to drive and capable of close-quarters racing. Cost control is explicitly part of the brief. That matters because a visually dramatic car is of limited value if grids shrink or teams cannot afford to run it.
How to take part
Fans can complete the FIA Touring Car Global Fan Survey until October 25. The regulator says it wants responses from all regions and asks participants about both the cars and the style of competition they prefer.
The consultation arrives during a busy period for international motorsport. Chiefs Review recently covered Max Verstappen’s first Singapore Grand Prix victory and the 2026 Nürburgring NLS finale.
Source
FIA announcement, published October 12, 2026. Chiefs Review has not tested any proposed car because the technical regulations have not yet been defined.
Featured image: FIA Touring Car Global Fan Survey artwork. Image: Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. Official image source and announcement.