[RahulNagaraj]

FIA - the governing body of Formula 1, has announced the revised regulations for the sport, set to be implemented from the 2026 season onwards.



The 2026 F1 regulations will feature a number of changes to the racing cars, both in terms of aerodynamics and powertrain, in an attempt to produce closer racing.



Starting off with the cars themselves, the 2026 F1 cars will feature a 200 mm smaller wheelbase to 3,400 mm, while the width has also reduced from 2,000 mm to 1,900 mm. The cars will be lighter, with a minimum weight set to 768 kg - 30 kg lower than the cars in 2022. While the 18-inch wheel size has remained unchanged, F1 has reduced the width of the 2026-spec tyres by 25 mm and 30 mm at the front and rear, respectively. The changes in design have also brought down the amount of downforce produced by 30% and drag by 55%.

The cars will also feature new front impact structures by introducing a two-stage nose design, reducing the risk of detachment in initial impacts. The side intrusion rules have been made stringent, ensuring improved safety for the driver.



Another major change is the removal of DRS (Drag Reduction System), which will be replaced by a manual override mode, which will provide drivers with an electrical boost to help overtake during the race. The 2026 cars will also see the introduction of active aerodynamics, which includes movable front and rear wings. These can be made to switch between two modes by the driver to maximise top speed.

Coming to the powertrain, equalling the amount of power produced by the engine and electric motors. While the IC engine produces around 400 kW, the power from the electric motors has risen by 300% from 120 kW to 350 kW. Also, the amount of energy now recuperated during braking has been doubled to 8.5 MJ per lap. In addition, the 2026 F1 cars will run on 100% synthetic fuel - in line with its Net Zero Carbon*goal*of*2030.

Link to Team-BHP news

[deovrat]

I am very interested in seeing how this "Active Aero" evolves and whether someone like Newey can come up with a Double Diffuser equivalent that blows everyone away.

[ergon_9700]

Personally surprised by F1 going with Active Aero. They ban these when ever anybody brought one to the grid like the Fancar of Gordon Murray or the F duct. But glad to see it is happening now. Moreover waiting to see what kind of wild solutions/innovations are going to take place.

[vishal21]

This does look exciting indeed. Hope it means everyone gets to re-engineering their cars and we see some tough competition from all teams. Also with Audi making an attempt with the 2026 season.
Btw, this season's just started to get exciting with recent advancements from Ferrari and Mclaren giving Redbull a run for their money. Excited to see some changes at the top of the table after almost two long years.

[vinya_jag]

I was an Avid fan of F1 until maybe 2007-08, and then, the interest just wasn't there anymore. Had just been contemplating and discussing the same with friends and now fans.

Was it the sound those cars made? Was it Michael vs Hakkinen? Was it Weber giving his all in those qualifying laps? Was it Rosberg fighting Hamilton? Was it the splendid green of the Jaguars? Was it the chaos around pit stops? Was it those daredevil overtakings? Was it those incredible, narrow racetracks? Was it so few overtakings? Was it the sheer number of 1st lap accidents? Was it those flaming engines? Was it the swinging fortunes of Ferrari vs Mclaren? Was it Ferrari? Was it Eau Rouge? Was it that sweeping Brazil bank track? Was it Steve Slater? Too many races? Too many Middle Eastern Characterless/ crowdless races?

Can't explain.

However, a few things that I vividly remember, which just broke it for me:

- I was once watching one of those early Malaysian GPs, and was wondering how wide the tracks had become? There were 3 or 4 cars abreast going into a corner, all safely making it through on the other side. From thereon, each newly introduced circuit looked the same for me. Wide roads, huge kerbs, lots of run off.
- And then when I first heard the Turbo cars, it just broke my heart. The aural experience was gone. Now, it doesn't matter if you are watching F1 or those E-races. They all look and feel the same.
- After Nico, the Hamilton era also was somewhat uneventful. Made those races monotonous.
- And DRS was the biggest downer for me. I fondly remember how, once Rubens kept Hamilton behind him for an entire race. The skill requirements were different back then. Overtaking was truly an event in a race. (Like a Saurav Ganguly backfoot drive on the offside - Expertly done vs todays Hook sweep that catches the edge and still goes for a 6 over third man)

Too many rule changes, too many new circuits, too many new teams. I simply find all of these very similar to demise of Cricket interest in most of us.

[Joeboy]

These new rules changes looks good on paper but my only hope is that atleast all the top teams get it right so that we can watch close racing rather that only one team getting it right and dominating the races which would again be boring to watch.

[RevJ]

Originally Posted by vinya_jag

I was an Avid fan of F1 until maybe 2007-08, and then, the interest just wasn't there anymore. Had just been contemplating and discussing the same with friends and now fans.

Was it the sound those cars made? Was it Michael vs Hakkinen? Was it Weber giving his all in those qualifying laps? Was it Rosberg fighting Hamilton? Was it the splendid green of the Jaguars? Was it the chaos around pit stops? Was it those daredevil overtakings? Was it those incredible, narrow racetracks? Was it so few overtakings? Was it the sheer number of 1st lap accidents? Was it those flaming engines? Was it the swinging fortunes of Ferrari vs Mclaren? Was it Ferrari? Was it Eau Rouge? Was it that sweeping Brazil bank track? Was it Steve Slater? Too many races? Too many Middle Eastern Characterless/ crowdless races?

Can't explain.

However, a few things that I vividly remember, which just broke it for me:

- I was once watching one of those early Malaysian GPs, and was wondering how wide the tracks had become? There were 3 or 4 cars abreast going into a corner, all safely making it through on the other side. From thereon, each newly introduced circuit looked the same for me. Wide roads, huge kerbs, lots of run off.
- And then when I first heard the Turbo cars, it just broke my heart. The aural experience was gone. Now, it doesn't matter if you are watching F1 or those E-races. They all look and feel the same.
- After Nico, the Hamilton era also was somewhat uneventful. Made those races monotonous.
- And DRS was the biggest downer for me. I fondly remember how, once Rubens kept Hamilton behind him for an entire race. The skill requirements were different back then. Overtaking was truly an event in a race. (Like a Saurav Ganguly backfoot drive on the offside - Expertly done vs todays Hook sweep that catches the edge and still goes for a 6 over third man)

Too many rule changes, too many new circuits, too many new teams. I simply find all of these very similar to demise of Cricket interest in most of us.

I have one thing to add, The 25- 35 group who probably missed the heyday of F1 and Moto GP are now hooked onto screens , with Verstappen leading the races and winning them for I don't know for the past 5 years! No overtaking, no tire changes, it's all drama with Netflix series and Instagram product endorsements.

Ah, I'm getting old I guess.

[Sensible_Speed]

Originally Posted by RevJ

I have one thing to add, The 25- 35 group who probably missed the heyday of F1 and Moto GP are now hooked onto screens , with Verstappen leading the races and winning them for I don't know for the past 5 years! No overtaking, no tire changes, it's all drama with Netflix series and Instagram product endorsements.

Ah, I'm getting old I guess.

Drive to Survive definitely killed the sport for a lot of veterans. But, it also brought into the mainstream. I remember being the odd one out in my friend groups, when I'd miss our weekend meets to watch the race. Now, they all watch it with me and hold endless discussions after!
Net-net I think we gained more than we lost. The only downside are the terrible middle-east races and the American nonsense in Miami and Las Vegas. When you have classic world famous tracks like Indianapolis and Laguna Seca or even Daytona Beach, why hold a pointless nonsensical race in glitzy cities of disgusting excess? All the pomp and show in Miami and LV makes me physically sick, knowing there are superb tracks in USA with actual racing heritage and a rich automotive culture and they race in these landfills under some obscure freeway in the middle of the city.

MotoGP is going on pretty well considering you can only do so much with the fastest bike on the grid if you don't have skill (look at Bastianini). But, even there, a single manufacturer has always been leagues ahead of the field at any given point in time.

Disclaimer: I'm 23 years old, but have been watching all kinds of racing for the past 20 years. Motorsports was pretty much the only thing I enjoyed watching on TV in my childhood .

[Air_Kerala]

All the regulations look promising on paper, but I hope they work their way eventually to a place where the emissions will permit the usage of a glorious V10. Power (preposterous level at that!) and capability aside, the sheer drama associated with these mighty engines, the sound, as Jason Cammisa describes the Maserati Quattroporte, the very thought of this generation of extremely capable drivers extracting every ounce of power and grip from such a car would make F1 reach the masses. A hot lap of Imola by Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán in his BMW-Williams FW25 powered by a divine V10 is one of my most viewed YouTube video. Peace

[RM Motorsports]

The FIA has released pictures of a refined version of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 concept as approved by the FIA World Motorsports Council.