1985 · TECHNICAL
1985 Technical Regulations
1985 largely carried over the 1984 regulatory framework: flat-bottom cars, 220-litre fuel limit for turbos, no fuel limit for atmospheric, no in-race refuelling. The Porsche-Honda-BMW power race continued to escalate with qualifying-tune boost producing over 1,200 bhp in extreme cases. Alain Prost's McLaren-TAG Porsche won the first of his four titles. Safety concerns mounted as qualifying speeds climbed, driving the 4-bar turbo boost limit proposed for 1987.
Chapters
Continuity with 1984
No foundational technical changes from 1984. Teams focused on chassis refinement (the McLaren MP4/2B was an evolution of 1984's car) and squeezing fuel efficiency within the 220-litre turbo limit. Atmospheric Cosworths were effectively relegated to the midfield; the last purely Cosworth-atmospheric F1 win came in the 1983 Detroit GP and no atmospheric engine would win again until the mandated turbo ban of 1989.
Exact qualifying-boost figures quoted vary by source; 1,200+ bhp is an industry rule-of-thumb, not an FIA-published number.
Last updated: 2026-04-24
This summary is editorial material prepared by F1pedia for general F1 audiences. It is not a legal reference. For binding rule text, consult the official FIA document.