🔗 Share this article

F1 has unveiled the official vocabulary that will be used to describe the technical complexities of its new 2026 rulebook.

The sport is implementing what is arguably the most significant regulation change in its long history starting in 2026, featuring revised car and engine specifications and the compulsory introduction of fully sustainable fuels.

The new power units, which maintain the 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid, boast a substantially higher battery power, requiring key advancements in the aero packages.

Over a race distance, competitors will strategically manage ERS energy – potentially on qualifying laps – to extract the best result.

Extensive fan consultation were conducted with a mix of viewers, including dedicated enthusiasts and casual observers, to determine which terminology would improve understanding of the key features of the upcoming rules.

The stated goal was to render a set of intricate technical aspects of the sport as easy to grasp as possible for the widest audience.

Consequently, older technical labels for specific components – such as "alphabetical mode names" for the active aerodynamics – have been discarded in favor of intuitive labels that clearly indicate the primary purpose of the system.

Exploring the New Tech

Regulators explain that drivers will have more power to make decisions regarding power usage, harvesting, and conservation.

The 2026 rules introduce a set of functions that will be shown on TV overlays to aid the viewers' comprehension of the on-track action.

• Passing Mode: This takes over from the existing Drag Reduction System. It provides a surge of additional ERS power deployable when a competitor is less than a second the vehicle in front to facilitate an overtake.
• Boost Mode: This is a driver-operated energy deployment from the hybrid system that can be deployed for offensive or defensive moves. It provides the driver peak output at the activation of a control.

Both of these strategic tools will have to be managed carefully, as the overall battery capacity is capped.

• Active Aero: Both the car's wings change configuration – opening on the high-speed sections for low aerodynamic resistance and higher speed, and sealing in the corners for maximum downforce.
• Battery Recharge: Drivers can replenish their battery with regenerative braking, or during coasting at the straight's end or in certain corners where only limited engine output is applied.

2026 Car Specifications

The vehicles for the new era will be smaller and lighter relative to current models, with a wheelbase cut by 200mm to 3,400mm, overall width reduced by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the minimum weight lowered by 30kg.

Overall downforce is projected to decrease by approximately 15-30%, although constructors will naturally regain performance as they optimize their packages.

Aerodynamic drag has been reduced by 40%. The vehicles will feature adjustable aero systems – both wings will move on the straight sections to reduce drag and enhance velocity and click back into place for maximum cornering performance.

Tyres will keep the current rim size, but the tyres themselves will be narrower, by 25mm at the front and 30 millimetres on the rear axle.

What's Changing in the Engines?

The new power units will have an near-equal balance in power produced by the internal combustion engine and the battery and motor, increasing from about one-fifth electric power under present rules.

The ERS setup is streamlined through the removal of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat, the complicated and costly device that generated electricity from the exhaust turbo.

Every car on the grid will be obliged to compete on 100% sustainable fuel, produced using biomass or lab-created processes.