F1 | Ocon hopes 2026 aero rules will remain tough

Esteban Ocon hopes the FIA ​​will keep a tight rein on Formula 1’s aerodynamic regulations for 2026 to ensure more teams can compete for victory.

The 2026 regulations include the introduction of active aerodynamics on the front and rear wings, as well as a lower floor to limit the effectiveness of the Venturi tunnels underneath. The cars will also be narrower and shorter, in an attempt to improve overall agility.

Immediately after they were revealed at the Canadian Grand Prix, the rules were criticised by some teams as too restrictive, with strong opposition to some of the proposals put forward by the FIA.

However, Ocon, who will join Haas on a multi-year deal from 2025, wants the regulations to remain tight to ensure teams are evenly matched at the start of the rules cycle, rather than scattered due to divergent development paths at the start of 2026.

“Currently, I don’t agree that there are different winners,” Ocon began. “Yes, McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, they are still the same ones that were there a long time ago and a long time ago. McLaren has joined them, so only one team has managed, in practice, in this change of regulation to make it.”

“There is a constructors’ championship and it still matters which team is the best. But all the cars should be within three or four tenths.”

“I see the new rules are very limited on many aerodynamic aspects and I see the teams pushing to open them up more. So I hope the FIA ​​will be very strict on this point and say: ‘No, we are not pushing for more openness.'”

“Because if that were the case, then it would be about who does the best job during the weekend, rather than the overall development of the car. What do we love as fans? We love racing, we love wheel-to-wheel battles, we love fighting for the lead until the end of the race.”

“We care much less about who has the best development during the season, that’s not very nice to watch on TV on Sunday.”

Ocon added that the ideal scenario would be to have a grid more similar to the one he experienced during his time in Formula 3 and the DTM, even suggesting that the current closeness of performance between the teams in Formula E is an ideal scenario.

While this would make the powertrains – also redefined for 2026 – a more important factor in performance, Ocon believes this would still be a much more muted differentiator than unconstrained aerodynamic development.

“As a fan of this sport and as a driver, what I want to see are ten cars that can win in one weekend. Like it happened in Formula 3, like it happened sometimes in the DTM.”

“I hope that in 2026 there will be some difference between the power units. But from an aerodynamic point of view there will be less. Not like Formula E, but almost, that’s my wish.”

“The power unit has a much smaller impact than you think. It’s a performance factor, very important, but nothing compared to the aerodynamic development and everything else. It’s 10% of the whole package. So that’s what I say: good power unit, but limit everything else!”