By Carlo Platella
In Canada the Federation illustrated the draft of the new aerodynamic regulations for 2026, created to accommodate the ambitious characteristics of the next power units. However, there was no shortage of criticism, including those from the teams who raised the alarm about the risks of what they produced. What stands out above all is the excessive top speed in a straight line and the lack of downforce and performancewith predicted lap times a few seconds faster than Formula 2.
The painting
Electrification will be one of the pillars of the revolution of 2026. The power of the hybrid part of the power unit will in fact triple compared to now, reaching 50% of the overall one. However, increasing electric power presents a major challenge, namely finding the energy needed to power such a powerful electric motor for such a long time. The guideline behind the conception of new cars is therefore the reduction of consumption by intervening on weight and aerodynamic resistance. At the moment it is estimated at one 55% reduction in aerodynamic draginevitably also discounting a 30% drop in load.
This being the case, in 2026 Formula 1 cars will encounter much less resistance in a straight line, reaching higher and potentially dangerous top speeds. At the same time, however, lap times will rise, due to the lower aerodynamic load and therefore the worsening of cornering. A problem highlighted by McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella: “At the moment, as the cars are according to these draft regulations, they will not be fast enough in corners and will be too fast in straight lines. These two aspects will need to be rebalanced.”
Speed Limit
The alarm does not go unheard by the Federation, which promises to collaborate with the teams to find the right countermeasures. Jan Monchaux, technical director for FIA single-seaters, acknowledges the problem: “To date, yes, top speeds could be slightly higher than what we currently achieve, it’s something we are aware of. We will ensure that speed peaks do not reach potentially dangerous levels and we have the means to do it.”
Monchaux lists the tools with which the FIA and race management will be able to control top speeds. Depending on the type of track for example the mappings granted may change for the supply of electrical power from the power unit. According to the regulations, in normal conditions the hybrid power will decrease starting from 280 km/h and completely disappear at 345 km/h, but on occasion the reduction could be more decisive. Another trick concerns the use of active aerodynamics, with pilots being able to open the flaps of both ailerons at the same time in a straight line. The idea of the Federation is to vary the width of the opening of the wings and the duration of activation based on the circuits, imposing limits for example on city tracks, especially the fastest ones such as Baku or Las Vegas.
“We are not interested in taking absurd risks and having cars that reach 380 km/h on a straight line in Monte Carlo. It wouldn’t make sense and it won’t happen.”continues Monchaux. “If we didn’t take any countermeasures, there would be a risk. However, we are aware of this and will ensure that, once the cars and simulations are more mature, the necessary remedies are implemented to guarantee top speeds similar to the current ones, with 5 km/h more or less.”
There is time for the load
Limiting speeds will be essential for safety, but will exacerbate the problem of an overall performance far from Formula 1 standards. “The difference in performance with a Formula 2 could be a few seconds”, says Williams Team Principal James Vowles. Once again Monchaux throws water on the fire, promising an increase in downforce when the foundations of the new regulations are more solid: “Over the next few months, as the teams have run more simulations, refined their understanding of the regulations and perhaps have a more mature layout of their cars, we will discuss with them what an appropriate level of downforce might be. It could be a couple of percentage points higher than what is currently set with the regulations”.
The technical director explains how by intervening on the regulations, in particular in the sections concerning the surface, one could easily obtain from 10 to 30 extra load points, approximately 10% more. However, this does not change the picture of a Formula 1 that is slower in corners than now, as Monchaux warns: “In any case we will try to impose some sort of limit. It will certainly be a little higher than it is now with the draft regulations, but clearly lower than the current cars. Unfortunately, cornering mileage will be lower”.
However, Nikolas Tombazis, director of FIA single-seaters, avoids the risk of lap times comparable to Formula 2: “We expect to make progress with performance. This is exactly why we started with such a low bar, so that we could work our way up, collaborating with the teams. Increasing the downforce of these machines is quite easy. I don’t think there is any concern that these cars won’t be faster than a Formula 2. I think it will be resolved 100% in time for the final regulations.”
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