F1 is thinking about 2026: here are the first details on active aerodynamics

As Formula 1 prepares to begin its third year under the current regulatory cycle, behind the scenes engineers at the FIA ​​and FOM are already looking ahead to the next era.

In fact, a substantial regulation change is expected for 2026 which affects several points, starting from the Power Units, with the transition to sustainable fuels and the elimination of the MGU-H, an aspect that convinced Audi to take to the track and Honda to make a U-turn. From this point of view, the teams are already at work and have also entered the first phase of bench testing.

But the technical revolution will not only affect the engines, because other parts of the cars will also be subject to important changes, in an attempt to guarantee more exciting races. For example, the technicians have set themselves the objective of seeing smaller and lighter cars on the track, so the size of the tires should also be reduced, with the FIA ​​currently working to discuss with the teams the test program with the cars forklift.

One of the major criticisms of current single-seaters is precisely their weight, which not only makes them less reactive, but which also has a negative impact on the tyres, which in turn are central to ensuring greater spectacle.

While the Federation is working behind the scenes to present the first draft of the 2026 regulations approximately by the end of next June, Nikolas Tombazis has provided some more details on the aerodynamics of the new single-seaters, which will also see an increased presence of active components.

In aerodynamic terms, the FIA ​​considers the 2026 cars as an evolution of the current concept, therefore always with ground effect, but some details will be further revised to prevent the teams from having certain freedoms which already in 2023 have negatively impacted the production of the dirty air, such as blowholes near the front wing endplates.

“The 2023 season has seen a small worsening regarding close duels, it is more difficult for the cars to follow each other closely and we think we have understood why, how and what we need to do. We believe that for the next change [di regole nel 2026] we will get a much more robust solution for close races,” explained the governing body's head of single-seaters.

Mercedes W14, front wing and nose detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The plan involves a reduction in the overall load, but also in aerodynamic resistance. According to the first simulations, lap times should not be drastically higher than current ones, with a worsening of a couple of seconds, but according to Tombazis this is not a central factor in the drafting of the regulations, given that the main objective is to improve the show.

However, the real innovation will concern the addition of active aerodynamics to reduce resistance on straights, which will also be potentially useful for significantly reducing consumption by being able to design tanks with smaller capacities than the current ones. The plans have not yet been finalized in detail, but the teams already have a basic idea of ​​how it will be introduced and in which contexts it could be used.

“There will certainly be a variation in the incidence of the wing on the straight to obtain low aerodynamic resistance. But there will absolutely be no slowing down of the car in front. It wouldn't work”, explained Tombazis, given that in the past it had been suggested to actively intervene on the car in front to facilitate overtaking and avoid trains. Already in Formula 2, for example, on the new generation single-seaters which will debut in 2024, the efficiency of the DRS has been increased precisely to prevent the cars from remaining stationary in queues one behind the other without concrete opportunities for attack.

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

However, in Formula 1 at the moment the plans have not yet been defined in detail, because the FIA ​​is evaluating various ideas to increase overtaking opportunities by exploiting active aerodynamics.

“There will be something equivalent to the current DRS, which will essentially allow the following car within a certain limit to potentially put itself in an attack position. What form will this mechanism take: whether it will be an additional modification of an aerodynamic component on the straight, or a additional modification of the aerodynamic component in corners, we are still doing our best simulations to arrive at the best possible solution. What we don't want is for the cars to pass each other very easily on the straights. We want the cars to arrive close to the braking point, which there is a fight and the pilots have to use their skill.”

In some way, DRS will continue to be part of the next regulatory cycle, as Formula 1 is not ready to give it up. According to the FIA, however, it is simpler to create a very effective DRS system which can then be fine-tuned at a later time, rather than going in the opposite direction, ending up with cars that work without a mobile wing but which make overtaking more complicated.

Photo by: Jake Grant / Motorsport Images

“We would never want to make it [il sorpasso] too easy, but we don't even feel able to say, 'Oh, well, [il DRS] It's not necessary any more'. We can't risk getting to a situation where overtaking becomes impossible again, or something like that. We therefore want to have it in our pocket [la possibilità di usare l’aerodinamica mobile per facilitare i sorpassi] and use it moderately, but not excessively. Even overtaking must be a struggle. We don't want cars to just overtake each other.”

Although there are no regulations defined in detail yet, the teams already have a general idea of ​​some aspects of the functioning of the active aerodynamics for 2026. From what has emerged so far, the drivers will not have continuous freedom to intervention on the mobile elements, but there will be pre-established parameters depending on the tender situation.

“At the moment the proposal concerns specific aerodynamic elements, the front wing and the rear wing, perhaps also something else, which will be allowed to move actively. However, this will only happen with pre-established methods, there will be no continuous variations and adaptations, but a fixed number of positions on which to set these elements depending on where you are on the track, depending on how close or distant the car in front is”, explained Ciaron Pilbeam, track manager for Alpine with long experience in Red Bull and McLaren.