The FIA just announced the regulations for the 2026 Formula 1 season and presented a look at what’s in store car design will look like, you can see in the gallery at the top of this post.
In the reversal of the past change regulations, cars are getting smaller and lighter by 2026. Wheelbase reduced by 200 mm to 3,400 mm; Width is reduced by 100 mm to 1,900 mm and weight is reduced by 66 lbs to 1,693 lbs. Pirelli tires will also be smaller, as the width of the front wheel is reduced by 25 mm and the rear wheel by 30 mm. However, the 18-inch wheels introduced in 2022 will remain the same.
Big aerodynamic changes are also on the horizon, as teams will now be allowed to design active aerodynamics for both the front and rear wings. The front will have a two-part cover, while the rear will have three parts. However, unlike DRS, the active aerodynamics system will be able to be deployed regardless of your distance from the car in front. It will be manually activated by the driver, but drivers will only be able to do so in areas of the track considered safe, currently defined as any stretch of track longer than three seconds. When in low-drag configuration, the FIA calls it “X-Mode,” while high-downforce mode is called “Z-Mode.” The floor and diffuser changes would prevent teams from designing ground-effect cars (which we see today) with ultra-stiff and ultra-low suspension settings that cause dolphins. Overall, the FIA expects the 2026 cars to have 55% less drag and 30% less downforce than the current cars. It’s also hoped these aerodynamic changes will allow for closer racing, but we’ll have to wait and see on that front.
Of course, the powertrain will also be different. The 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine – now revised and running on 100% sustainable fuel – will work less as power will be reduced from around 738 horsepower to around 536 horsepower. This deficiency will be compensated by electrical energy, because F1 aims for a nearly 50-50 split between combustion and electric power. Instead of the roughly 160 horsepower the electric unit currently contributes, the 2026 cars will get about 470 horsepower from the battery-electric unit. Formula 1 expects the 2026 cars to have about 120 horsepower more than today’s cars, so don’t worry, they’ll be fast.
And with greater reliance on electrical power comes the possibility of harnessing magnetic energy brake is increasing, as the FIA predicts teams will gain around 8.5 megajoules per round. How the driver deploys that additional power also gets more interesting/complex in 2026. Similar to DRS, a driver within 1 second of the vehicle behind will be able to use the “MGU- K Override” to increase power at high speeds to help overtaking. Under normal circumstances, electric power deployment will taper off at speeds above 180 mph, but the MGU-K Override will allow the driver to access all 470 electric horsepower at 209 mph. now, which theoretically helps them shoot around the car in front. This system is expected to be accessible in the same areas as today’s DRS functionality.
The final major update concerns safety, as the FIA says the 2026 cars will feature a new two-stage nose design to reduce the risk of separation in an accident. Enhanced side intrusion protection and all-around protection fuel cells also better. Safety lights that will be equipped on the car (and will come on when stopped on the road) will display the status of the car’s energy recovery system to ensure the safety of the driver and the police. The roll load has also been increased. The FIA says it was all done without adding any weight.
