Formula 1 enters a new era. During the Canadian GP, the FIA officially outlined the regulations that will come into effect in 2026, signaling a significant departure from the ground-effect cars we’re used to seeing today. The International Federation’s goal has been to aim for a more agile F1, reversing the trend in weight and size of the cars, focusing heavily on aerodynamic efficiency and handling, hoping to produce races with cars capable of following closely and facilitating overtaking.
After decades of steadily increasing minimum weight, the 2026 cars will finally undergo a diet, being 30 kg lighter than current F1 cars, and significantly reduced in dimensions with 200 mm shorter wheelbase and 100 mm narrower width.
The power unit will be entirely new, with half the power coming from the endothermic engine and the other half from the electric component, with significantly increased hybrid power by almost 300%.
One of the major innovations is the introduction of active aerodynamics both at the front and rear wings to meet the energy management requirements of the new power units, and there will be an X mode option to facilitate overtaking, replacing the DRS.
The lawmakers’ intention was to design cars that could highlight the driving skills of the pilots, resetting the knowledge acquired by teams with the current ground-effect F1 cars. Aerodynamic downforce will be reduced by 30%, while aerodynamic efficiency will increase by 55%. These are significant values that represent a major research effort.
It’s no coincidence that six Constructors have adhered to these regulations: Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Honda, Audi, and Red Bull Ford Powertrains, reaching a record never achieved in the top tier. Significant work has also been done to improve safety and sustainability: the fuel will be e-fuel, synthetic gasoline without fossil components.
Let’s analyze the main points of this revolution, remembering that the regulations will need to be ratified by the FIA World Council scheduled for June 28.
POWER UNIT
Published for the first time in August 2022, the regulations on power units mark an important change: the power of the endothermic engine decreases from 550-560 kW to 400 kW, while the hybrid part increases from 120 kW to 350 kW, defining an almost 300% increase in electric power. Performance should remain in line with current levels (1,000 horsepower), but sustainability will increase.
Thanks to the removal of the MGU-H and the expansion of the hybrid part, the power of the 2026 engines will be in line with current ones. Together with the introduction of 100% sustainable fuel, it will provide a platform designed to transfer the innovation introduced in F1 to series production. The energy that can be recovered during braking will be doubled, for a total recoverable energy of 8.5 MJ per lap. An Override mode has been studied to create better overtaking opportunities: when two F1 cars are battling, the one in front will gradually decrease the hybrid output after 290 km/h, reaching zero at 355 km/h, while the following car will benefit from the Override, providing the MGU-K with 350 kW up to 337 km/h and an additional 0.5 MJ of extra energy.
CHASSIS
The wheelbase decreases from a maximum of 3,600 mm to 3,400 mm, while the width has been reduced from 2,000 mm to 1,900 mm. The maximum floor width will be reduced by 150 mm. Weight reduction has been a key objective: in 2026, the cars will have a minimum weight of 768 kg, down by 30 kg from the 2022 regulations. The mass will be defined by 722 kg for the car and driver + an estimated 46 kg for the tires. Downforce will be reduced by 30% and aerodynamic resistance by 55%. The rims will still be 18 inches, although the front tires will be reduced by 25 mm and the rear ones by 30 mm, but with minimal loss of grip.
AERODYNAMICS
The 2026 cars will also benefit from brand new active aerodynamics systems. The system, involving both movable front and rear wings, will result in higher cornering speeds with the standard Z mode. On straights, drivers can switch to X mode, a low-resistance configuration designed to maximize straight-line speed. An active three-element rear wing will be adopted, while the beam wing has been removed and the sidepods will be simplified. The front wing will be 100 mm narrower than the current one and will feature a two-element active flap. Unlike current cars, front wheel fairings will be removed, and wake control will be achieved with sidepods introduced on the bodywork. The cars will feature a partially flat floor and a less extreme diffuser, reducing ground effect and reducing the cars’ dependency on ultra-rigid and low setups.
SAFETY
To improve frontal crash protection, the FIA introduces new noses with a two-stage deformable structure to prevent the survival cell from being left unprotected after an initial impact and thus capable of withstanding a second impact. Side intrusion protection has been increased. The new specification offers better protection around the cockpit and doubles the containment near the fuel tank and battery. These results will be achieved without adding weight. Roll hoop loads have been increased from 16G to 20G in line with other single-seater formulas, and crash test loads will increase from 141kN to 167kN.
The LEDs on the rear wing endplates will be homologated and significantly more visible/brighter than current ones. Side safety lights will be introduced to identify the state of an ERS-equipped car stopped along the track. The GPS antenna will be repositioned to improve sensitivity and allow for future developments in active safety.
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