Exclusive – Brembo, the ’26 brakes: longer and ‘electric’ braking

By Carlo Platella

The new power units expected in 2026 are revolutionizing Formula 1 in every way. The increase in the electric part up to 50% of the overall power has made it necessary to rethink the aerodynamics of the cars, as recently learned from the regulations published at the beginning of June. In turn, the new aerodynamics leads to a redefinition of the braking system, as explained to FormulaPassion Stephen PavanBrembo track engineer.

The weight of the electric

The cars will be of the new generation, they will be lighter by about thirty kilos and will have less aerodynamic load and grip. The loads on the braking system will consequently also decrease, with the first simulations that tell of braking torques lower by approximately 10% compared to the current ones. The most important change, however, concerns the interaction between the hydraulic system and the electric motor. “As for regeneration, the management is different,” explains Pavan.

In 2026, the power units will have a single electric motor, the equivalent of the current MGU-K, whose power will increase from 120 to 350 kW, both in acceleration and braking. The contribution of the electric generator will be almost tripled, with the aim of using it as much as possible to regenerate energy to send to the battery. At the rear, the axle where the electric motor acts, will therefore be recovered a greater amount of energyreducing the amount dissipated by the disks in the form of heat.

Pavan continues: “According to the results of the simulations, the cars at the front will have an energy [da dissipare] greater than the current ones, while at the rear a lot will be lost precisely to maximize regeneration, which will be much higher than the current cars. […] “The energy on the rear will decrease a lot, we are talking about about 50% less. It will be a big change for us. As for the front, they should increase a little, around 10-20% more”.

Security chapter

The contribution of regenerative braking pushes for a downsizing of the rear discs. The guideline is not to overdo it, making sure that even in the event of a malfunction of the electric motor the car has a hydraulic system powerful enough to stop safely. “The problem we have to manage is also the case where regenerative braking does not work. The BBW [Brake by Wire] goes into safe mode: since the brake is a safety component it must ensure that the machine stops”.

“It is very important for us”adds Pavan. “Potentially we could make some implants [frenanti] much smaller, but this is not done because in case of problems the hydraulic disc brake might not be enough to stop the car. The systems must always be calculated and validated in the most critical cases possiblewhile also keeping a good safety margin to ensure that they always function at their best, even in very difficult situations, such as a malfunction of the regenerative brake”.

More overtaking opportunities

One of the main changes on the next generation of cars will be the reduction of aerodynamic load and overall grip, as well as the reduction of weight, altering braking distances. “It will tend to get longer”, Pavan anticipates. An evolution long hoped for by enthusiasts, aware of how longer braking distances offer drivers margins to dare, dig in and modulate the braking, with greater opportunities to complete an overtaking.

However, as the Brembo engineer points out, we will have to wait to know more details on this matter: “We don’t have accurate estimates yet. Braking is not just about the brakesbut also by the speed and aerodynamics of the cars, whose development will be continuous until the first tests in 2026. Until then we will not have a clear picture, as was the case in 2022. Over the years the simulations have improved in terms of accuracy, but until a team puts the car on the track you do not have a clear picture of where it will arrive”.

The disks

But the news doesn’t end here, as in 2026 there will be another significant change to the braking system. Pavan reveals: “The regulation allows us to reduce the diameter of the ventilation holes. We are evaluating this possibility, a bit like it was in the past with the two and a half millimetre diameter holes, so as to increase the surface area and therefore the heat exchange”.

The efficiency of the heat evacuation process also on the size of the discs, whose maximum diameter increases again in the new regulation, also in the face of the 10-20% more energy to be disposed of at the front. Different speech at the rear: “At the rear, the discs could potentially remain with a diameter similar to the current one, perhaps reducing it a little. so as to lighten the system. Having to dispose of less energy, the calipers will also be able to be smaller and therefore lighter.”

First plant by the end of the year

For Brembo as for Pirelli, the difficulty that suppliers face is to create products suitable for cars whose characteristics are not yet defined, with regulations constantly evolving. “Bembo side We are working on different scenarios”, says Pavan. “The goal is to get to the end of the year with a system that is already fairly well tested, so as to have a more or less clear idea of ​​where we will go with pure development.”

“We are evaluating different types of plierswhich we would like to test as soon as possible as time allows, because the regulations have been frozen very recently. After having done the first tests, we will share the results with the teams that will have a relationship with us, so we will know which path to take”.

Brembo also focuses on the use of new materials: “The material will ultimately be carbon, but there will be changes in heat dissipation and thermal conductivity. All of this then contributes to performance.” All this contributes to the weight containment effort strongly desired by the FIA, Formula 1 and teams to reverse the trend of recent decades: “As for weight estimates at the front we are more or less there, while at the rear it will obviously decrease. We don’t have a precise estimate, because the mass will change depending on the options chosen. However, with the torques decreasing, the rear will lighten up a lot”concludes Pavan.