A Newey-style rake effect in Formula 1 2026? From a technical standpoint, this appears to be an operation that is simply not feasible. We are referring to the additional diffuser expansion offered by a nose-down, high-rake setup, an approach famously proposed by the British design genius. However, by carefully reading the FIA regulations, it becomes clear that this solution is not always reproducible, due to several issues linked to the use of the floor and the management of the airflow that surrounds it. Let’s take a closer look at why this is the case.
What was the rake effect?
In recent days, there has been a great deal of discussion about the possibility of a return to rake-style setups on the 2026 Formula 1 cars. It is a widely debated topic and one that certainly deserves a proper technical deep dive. This scenario was strongly emphasised by Adrian Newey in the past, delivering extremely significant advantages on the cars he designed. Naturally, all Formula 1 teams made use of rake to some extent, given the clear benefits it offered.
However, only the Milton Keynes team, thanks to the genius from Stratford-upon-Avon, managed to exploit it in the most effective and concrete way. The question many are now asking is this: considering Adrian Newey’s new chapter and his deep understanding of this approach, will he be able to reintroduce this characteristic and provide a major advantage to the AMR26? The answer, almost certainly, is no.
The nose-down setup defined Formula 1 cars up until the 2021 season, the year won at the last moment by Max Verstappen, with the controversial Abu Dhabi finale that penalised current Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. The core principle was achieved by significantly raising the rear of the car relative to the front axle, giving the car what is commonly referred to in Formula 1 terminology as a “raked” setup.
What the rake effect produced and how Adrian Newey made it work
The result of this specific configuration was a car that was heavily inclined towards the front. We are talking about a rear ride height that could be as much as 10–15 centimetres higher. To fully understand the concept behind this solution, we need to talk about aerodynamics. In practical terms, tilting the car allowed teams to significantly increase the volume of airflow reaching the diffuser.
This type of setup had a major impact on performance, as the expansion of the airflow at the diffuser exit was far greater than what could be achieved with a standard configuration. In simple terms, it was like increasing the diffuser angle even further, boosting its effective incidence. This directly favoured the generation of aerodynamic downforce.
As we remember, there was a clear difference between teams that were able to exploit this concept effectively and those that struggled. The main challenge was that raising the rear of the car made it easier for lower-energy airflow to enter from the sides, drastically reducing diffuser efficiency. The key objective was therefore to seal the floor, an area in which Adrian Newey truly set the benchmark.
F1 2026: why we won’t see the rake effect on next-generation cars
If we imagine introducing a certain level of rake on the new cars, the main obstacle remains the very limited permissiveness of the Formula 1 regulations on this topic. The current rules make it extremely difficult to effectively seal the rear section of the floor. On the sharp edge of the floor, engineers have virtually no room to intervene, and thinking about pneumatic-style sealing quickly turns into an almost impossible challenge.
Within this context, the only viable solution would be to recreate a controlled flexing of the floor edge, allowing it to get as close as possible to the asphalt in order to partially recover the flow-sealing effect. However, as we know, although teams will find ways to recreate a form of outwash in F1 2026, its effectiveness will be significantly reduced.
For this reason, a large portion of the turbulent wake generated by the rotation of the front tyre will not be diverted outward. Instead, it will be forced to follow a trajectory closer to the car itself. As a result, the biggest challenge for engineers will be to prevent this chaotic mass of airflow from entering the floor as much as possible.
The floors of the new cars will still feature Venturi channels, contrary to what some might believe, although their dimensions will be extremely limited. The fact that their depth will be much smaller makes the car even more sensitive to the intrusion of low-energy airflow. In the central area of the cars, we will see simplified bargeboards, designed to promote an inwash effect.
Teams will attempt to extract as much outwash as possible from this area as well, but once again its impact will be very limited. Taken together, these elements explain why, under the new Formula 1 regulations, it will be practically impossible to seal the floor effectively. This removes the fundamental condition required to make a meaningful rake effect viable.
Having Adrian Newey within a team will undoubtedly remain a major advantage. However, it is highly unlikely that we will see any real rake effect on the new cars. The 2026 floors will be a blend of the last two generations: they will not be completely flat, yet they will be smaller in size, sharing some characteristics with the floors used under the regulatory framework that was phased out after the 2021 season.
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