“If the systems were standard, it would actually be convenient”. – In this way Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull, commented on the hypothesis of the return of active suspension in F1 starting from 2026 when the new cycle of engines without MGU-H will begin to bring manufacturers such as Audi and Porsche back to Formula 1. The power units will move forward with the hybrid part from 120 to 350 kilowatts of power with the possibility of releasing up to 476 ‘electric’ horsepower. This will involve modifications to the cars, with the arrival of a larger battery and the recalibration of the MGU-K. What will also change will be the driving dynamics, an aspect that should not be underestimated.
The theme at the center of the debate is the recovery of the energy that the manufacturers would like to maintain at the front axle, without forgetting that the arrival of four-wheel drive cannot be ruled out. As far as the rear axle is concerned, in fact, the difficulty in exploiting all the power when the car is being recharged during braking is clear. In fact, they lack the downforce necessary to release all the power of the braking torque on the track. According to the German newspaper Auto Motor und Sport, a solution could be the introduction of active aerodynamics, with the wings ready to offer less aerodynamic drag on the straight and then take on the maximum possible downforce during braking. A solution that could also be assisted by active suspensions as suggested by Christian Horner.
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