With new configurations comes the unknown and excitement. There is a revolution happening in Formula 1 with new regulations for the 2026 season. Let’s start with the basics, the cars will be shorter, narrower, lighter and they will sound different.
Underneath the car the floor will be flatter, the diffusers will be extended and have a wider opening. The diffuser is at the back of the car and is underneath the rear wing and in-between the two back tyres. In doing this there will be less downforce on the car. In having these new configurations on the car, drivers with different driving styles will have more confidence in driving these cars. At Red Bull Max Verstappen has been a master at driving the Red Bull but Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda have all struggled. These new rules will assist that.
The front and rear wings will be different for 2026 too. There will no longer be rear beam wing. The rear beam wing was a small wing underneath the main wing at the back of the car. It was designed to push the dirty air over the car behind them and make it easier for the car behind to follow and pass. There will also be fewer elements on the front wing too.
The wings will stay shut during the corner which will give extra grip but the designated straights around the track the drivers will be able to open the flaps and flatten the the wings. This will add speed to the cars. This is called Active Aero.
There is also Overtake Mode. When the car is within a second of the car in front, they deploy extra power in assisting to overtake.
On each steering wheel there will be a boost button. When the button is pushed, combined power from the engine and the battery will give them maximum power. It can be deployed around the track and used in attacking and defending cars from behind. The battery it will need to be charged and this is completed through breaking and the driver lifting their foot off the accelerator. This is known as the Energy Recovery System.
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