DUBAI: The FIA Formula One World Championship is about to usher in its biggest regulation changes in decades, with Mohammed Ben Sulayem in his second term as president driving the revolution.
The FIA’s 2026 regulations tackle every aspect of F1 car design to create more competitive, safer and sustainable racing. “This marks a defining moment for the Formula One World Championship,” said FIA President Ben Sulayem in a release recently.
“The new regulations are the result of a huge amount of effort and dedication towards strengthening the championship for the next decade and beyond.”
At the heart of the new regulations is the Nimble Car Concept, a wholly new vision for the design of F1 cars that reverses the trend of larger, heavier cars by making them significantly smaller, lighter, and more agile.
The new cars will be 30 kg lighter, with a target of 724 kg plus the tire mass. The dimensions have also been altered, with the wheelbase down by 200 millimeters to 3,400. The width has been reduced by 100 millimeters, and the floor width by 150 millimeters.
One of the biggest changes is active aero. For 15 seasons F1 fans have seen rear wings opening to lower drag, providing a speed boost and giving following cars the opportunity to attack rivals ahead.
For 2026, that Drag Reduction System is no more, replaced by moveable front and rear wings that allow drivers to switch between two distinct modes.
The new active aero system is primarily designed to conserve energy. Reducing drag on straights is essential for power units that will rely much more on electrical energy.
From 2026 onward, the chief overtaking assist will come from an additional electrical energy via the new Overtake Mode. When drivers are within a second of the car in front at activation points, they will be able to deploy additional power to try to pass, with 0.5 megajoules of extra energy available.
The cars also get new power units. Still centered around a 1.6-liter hybrid powerplant, the redesigned PU builds on the world’s most efficient engines with a remarkable 300 percent increase in battery power and even split between internal combustion and electric power.
Alongside regular suppliers Mercedes and Ferrari, Audi enter for the first time. Honda return to the sport with Aston Martin after exiting in 2021, and Ford join the grid in support of the new Red Bull powertrains that will build PUs for Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls.
The regulations have also led to the arrival of a new constructor in the shape of Cadillac. At the season-opening Melbourne Grand Prix, GM’s premium brand will become the sport’s first wholly new entrant since Haas in 2016.
The increase in electrical energy is just one element of a major FIA move towards a more sustainable Formula 1 and from 2026 all cars will use advanced sustainable fuels.
The 2026 regulations will also lead to cars being safer. Revised front-impact structure and increased side-intrusion protection will further protect drivers in the event of an impact, while roll hoop loads have been increased from 16 gravitational forces to 20 G.
