🔗 Share this article

Formula 1 has introduced the official terminology that will be used to explain the intricate details of its revolutionary 2026 technical rules.

The racing series is embarking on what is arguably the most significant technical shift in its illustrious history starting in 2026, featuring revised car and engine specifications and the required adoption of eco-friendly fuels.

The revised engines, which retain the 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid, boast a greatly enhanced energy storage, driving major innovations in the aero packages.

Throughout races, competitors will strategically manage ERS energy – sometimes even hot laps – to extract the peak result.

Broad surveys were conducted with a diverse audience, including new, casual and core fans, to understand which phrases would aid comprehension of the key features of the 2026 changes.

The stated goal was to make a series of complex features of the sport as straightforward as possible for the broadest viewership.

Consequently, older technical labels for specific components – such as "x-mode and z-mode" for the moveable wings – have been discarded in favor of straightforward terms that directly explain the actual function of the technology.

Key Technical Innovations

The FIA states that racers will have more power to determine tactics regarding power usage, energy recovery, and saving energy.

The 2026 rules introduce a set of functions that will be clearly indicated on TV overlays to aid the audience's understanding of the on-track action.

• Attack Mode: This replaces the present overtaking aid. It provides a short boost of battery power accessible when a competitor is within one second the leading car to assist with an pass.
• Extra Push Mode: This is a driver-operated battery discharge from the energy recovery system that can be utilized during offensive or defensive moves. It grants the driver maximum power at the click of a switch.

Both of these key functions will have to be deployed strategically, as the overall battery capacity is capped.

• Active Aero: Both the front and rear wings move automatically – opening on the high-speed sections for minimal air resistance and top speed, and angling down in the bends for peak grip.
• Energy Harvesting: The system can harvest energy with power recovered from braking, or during throttle lift at the conclusion of a straight or in sections where only limited engine output is applied.

What's Changing on the Cars?

The vehicles for the new era will be reduced in size and weight than this year, with a distance between axles reduced by 200mm to 3,400mm, car width cut by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the minimum weight decreased by 30kg.

Total aerodynamic grip is expected to drop by approximately fifteen to thirty percent, although squads will naturally regain performance as they optimize their packages.

Aerodynamic drag has been reduced by 40%. The cars will feature active aerodynamics – front and rear wings will move on the straight sections to improve speed and boost top speed and revert into place for optimal grip in corners.

Wheels will retain the current rim size, but the tyres themselves will be slimmer, by 25 millimetres on the front axle and 30mm at the rear.

What's Changing in the Engines?

The new power units will have an approximate 50-50 split in energy output by the petrol engine and the electrical system, up from about 20% electrical under present rules.

The energy recovery system is streamlined through the removal of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat, the complicated and costly device that harvested power from the turbo.

All vehicles will be obliged to compete on carbon-neutral fuel, created from biomass or synthetic industrial processes.