The Formula 1 It could change and not be the same as the one we know today. The International Automobile Federation (FIA) revealed the technical regulations for single-seaters starting in 2026: the cars will be narrower, lighter and with greater electrical power, which will begin to be very important, even like the combustion engine.
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“The cars are light, enormously fast and agile, but they are still at the technological forefront,” he said at the presentation of the regulations. Nicholas Tombazis, technical director of the FIA and responsible for the cars.
There is a lot of expectation after the breakdown of the regulation made by the International Automobile Federation this Thursday in Canada. There are three key points in what will be the new car for 2026, the chassis, the weight and the aerodynamics.
The objective of the FIA It is clear, they want more overtaking, to improve the spectacle and avoid races like the one experienced at the Monaco Grand Prix, where there were only four overtakes and there was very little excitement.
Hamilton took first position from the start of the Spanish Grand Prix.
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Single-seater chassis
The spoilers are also going to be shortened, the front one will be narrower by 100 millimeters and with two active elements, the rear one will have three simplified endplate elements and the lower beam will be eliminated.
The front wheel arches will disappear from the chassis, but the tires will remain at 18 inches, although they will be narrower by 15 millimeters: the regulations dictate that the front ones be 280 mm wide (versus the current 305) and those at the back will be 375 mm (compared to 405 mm for today’s wheels).
Control panels will appear in the wake of the pontoons’ front tires, the diffuser will be smaller and less powerful, the floor of the car will be lowered by 15 centimeters and safety will increase.
Reduced weight
The minimum weight of the car is reduced by 30 kilograms and will be 768 kilograms (today 798 kilograms), without gasoline it will weigh 722 kilograms, which will allow drivers to drive a lighter car with a little more room for overtaking.
Hamilton took first position from the start of the Spanish Grand Prix.
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“The FIA is defining a hugely exciting future for the pinnacle of motorsport with the launch of a comprehensive new regulation” and insisted that following the publication of the 2026 power unit regulations two years ago, it has “seized the opportunity to redefine the chassis regulations to adapt them to the energy requirements of the new power units,” said Mohamed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA.
DRS disappears, aerodynamics change
The main change is the removal of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) from the rear wing, but this does not mean less overtaking. The FIA welcomed an aerodynamic system called ‘manual override’ that will allow the chasing car to have up to 350 kw of extra power to try to overtake.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull driver.
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This change is very important, since it adopts a system very similar to that used in championships such as ‘push to pass’ and Indycar. Furthermore, it is very revolutionary compared to the ‘floor effect’ that did not work in the changes two years ago.
“Active aerodynamics with simultaneous adjustment of the front and rear wings in two modes: a high downforce mode (“Z mode”) and a low drag mode (“X mode”),” explains the FIA.
He adds: “A manual activation mode has been included to create better overtaking opportunities. While the lead car’s deployment will gradually reduce after 290 km/h and will reach zero at 355 km/h, the vehicle leading it continues will benefit from the manual activation of MGU-K (kinetic electric generator), which provides 350 kW up to 337 km/h and +0.5 MJ of additional energy”, were the details provided in the technical sheet.
Likewise, combustion engines will go from 550kw to 400kw, while thermal batteries will go from 120kw to 350kw, “redesigning the power units and making the most efficient engines in the world, with almost 300% more electrical power” , according to the FIA statement.
The regulations, which will be in force from 2026, will have six ‘motorists’, who will be Ferrari, Mercedes, Alpine, Honda, Audi and Red Bull Ford Powertrains while with regard to gasoline the FIA has already assured that the cars will use a “one hundred percent sustainable” fuel.
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With EFE.
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