F1 2026 | Boost vs overtaking mode: how the new systems will change on-track battles. From the end of DRS to the introduction of boost and the new overtaking mode.

With the loss of DRS, the FIA has had to find another way to facilitate overtaking. From 2026, the new “overtaking mode” will come into play, allowing drivers to exploit the full 350 kW of the MGU-K for a longer interval than in standard mode. However, there will also be the boost, which is similar in concept but very different in its application. Let’s take a closer look at why.

The 2026 revolution starts with the Power Unit, the cornerstone of the new regulations, which, between strengths and limitations, has pushed the FIA to also rethink aerodynamics. In order to produce cars with lower drag, the governing body decided to expand the use of active aerodynamics, extending it to the front wing as well.

This change has also forced a rethink of the role of DRS, which from this season will no longer be a simple aid designed purely to help overtaking, but a structural element that can be used regardless of the gap to the car ahead. In addition, drivers will be able to activate active aerodynamics more freely than in the past, increasing straight-line efficiency and reducing energy consumption during acceleration phases.

The FIA therefore had to reimagine a system capable of supporting drivers during overtaking manoeuvres, and it is precisely from this need that the new “overtaking mode” was born, a solution that has changed its name several times over the past few months. The underlying principle recalls that of DRS, but its operation will be very different.

The impact of the overtaking mode

Whereas in the past the aid consisted of opening the rear wing flap to reduce drag, from 2026 the attacking driver will instead be able to rely on an additional power boost: the electric motor will deliver its peak 350 kW for a longer interval than the car defending. To understand exactly how this mechanism will work, however, it is first necessary to analyse the new power curve of the future Power Units.

Following the formulas set by the FIA, in “standard” mode drivers will be able to use all 350 kW permitted by the regulations up to 290 km/h. Beyond this threshold, however, power delivery will be progressively reduced in an artificial manner, until it drops to zero when the car reaches 345 km/h. In other words, at 345 km/h the MGU-K will no longer provide any contribution.

To facilitate overtaking, the FIA has introduced a second option: the overtaking mode, which can be activated when a driver is within one second of the car ahead at the detection point, exactly as happens today with DRS. In practical terms, the attacking driver will be able to exploit the MGU-K at the maximum power of 350 kW up to 337 km/h, after which the output will be progressively reduced until it drops to zero at 355 km/h.

Clearly, this scenario can generate significant power differences. For example, when both cars reach 330 km/h, the gap in electrical contribution can be as much as 200 kW, equivalent to around 270 horsepower. It is a considerable margin, which should make it significantly easier for the attacking driver to attempt an overtaking manoeuvre.

With cars running lower downforce configurations and with the possibility of opening the wings earlier than was possible with DRS, it will probably be easier to reach high speeds on the straights. Just consider that in Australia last year speeds above 300 km/h were reached only in four DRS zones, and in only one of these was it possible to hit the symbolic 330 km/h mark.

The defending driver will be able to use boost

While waiting to assess the full impact of active aerodynamics, with the electric component providing far more substantial support during acceleration, it is plausible that the most marked differences between overtaking mode and standard mode will emerge mainly on fast circuits, where very high speeds are reached. However, the driver who is defending will not necessarily be forced to simply watch.

Even in past seasons, both attacking and defending drivers could rely on an extra power boost from the Power Unit, by exploiting the electric motor at maximum output for a prolonged period. Since teams could recover only a limited amount of electrical energy, the control unit would intervene in certain sections of the lap to reduce the MGU-K contribution, preserving the remaining energy and using it in the most strategic points.

With a simple button, however, drivers could override the automatic management of the control unit, using a greater share of the energy stored in the battery to keep the MGU-K at maximum power for longer, either to attempt an overtake or to defend. This function will not disappear in 2026: it will simply be officially “renamed” as “boost”.

The same principle, but with major differences

It is natural to notice a certain similarity between the “overtaking mode” and the “boost”, because at their core they share the same operating principle. The differences, however, are far more pronounced than they may appear at first glance. The overtaking mode will only work above a certain speed and exclusively for the attacking driver. The boost, on the other hand, will not have these limitations and can be used freely, even by the driver who is defending.

This is where another factor comes into play, namely the differences in behaviour between the various Power Units. It is by no means guaranteed that all manufacturers will manage energy in the same way. In this context, boost could prove to be a valuable ally if deployed already on corner exit, when a stronger push is needed to accelerate and defend against an opponent’s attack.

Another element will further distinguish the two modes. Aware of the higher energy demand of the overtaking mode, the FIA will allow those who use it to recover an additional 0.5 MJ during the regeneration phase, an advantage that will not be available to drivers relying on boost. It may seem like a modest figure, but when the overall limit of recoverable energy is 8.5 MJ per lap (and on some circuits it will drop to as little as 8 MJ), that extra 0.5 MJ becomes a small but far from negligible reserve.

According to Nikolas Tombazis, this is precisely why it is likely that teams will end up converging on similar strategies at each circuit, so as to cover each other: “Differences in energy management can create situations where a car cannot defend itself well. But we believe that once teams and drivers have learned how to manage everything, they will avoid finding themselves completely vulnerable.”