FIA unveils images of F1 cars with the 2026 regulations look
The FIA presented the look of the future F1 cars when applying the aerodynamic and engine regulations for the 2026 season. Presented as an evolution, the regulations will inevitably impact the look. So here is an idea of what to expect.
The FIA, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, has unveiled the main points of the new technical regulations for the F1 World Championship for the 2026 season and beyond. A new set of regulations is expected to be implemented in 2030.
This initial set of details offers a first look at the F1 cars of 2026. It is important to note that the regulations allow for interpretation, so this look is a general aerodynamic concept rather than a definitive style. Teams will still be free to modify certain elements, and as always, the 2026 cars will differ from one another.
An impact on the engine used in 2026 by F1
The FIA emphasized that these 2026 regulations will enable the integration of a new power unit. Farewell to the MGU-H, which was a motor for recovering thermal energy at the turbo level, in order to simplify and lighten the hybrid system of the 2026 engines. The V6 engine, however, will be reduced in power to around 500 horsepower to balance the hybridization between combustion energy and electric battery energy. Consequently, the fuel tank will be smaller, and the batteries will be larger and therefore heavier.
However, the engine block should be lighter, and the cars will need to lose 30 kilograms compared to the current 798 kilograms of the 2024 F1 cars, reaching a still very high weight of 768 kilograms, including the driver.
A record number of six engine manufacturers, including Ferrari, Mercedes, Alpine, Honda, Audi, and Red Bull Ford Powertrains, have committed to the 2026 season. It should be noted that F1 cars will use biofuel, made from organic and renewable material.
An impact on the aerodynamics of the 2026 F1 cars
In 2026, F1 cars will aim, as with the current regulations, to facilitate overtaking. Thus, the key word will be drag reduction. The 2026 F1 cars will produce 30% less downforce, and with new technical constraints, should reduce their aerodynamic drag by 55%. This significant reduction announced by the FIA should compensate for the loss of thermal engine power.
The concept of DRS (a rear wing that adjusts to overtake on a straight line if the car is within one second of another) will be discontinued, but the rear wing will still feature this movable element. The FIA is introducing the concept of active aerodynamics and will require all F1 cars to have DRS on both the front and rear wings to reduce drag on straight lines.
Ground effect should be slightly reduced with a flatter floor and a narrower diffuser to avoid dependency on the lowest possible settings.
To clarify the concept of active aerodynamics, the FIA has mentioned aero settings transitioning from mode Z to mode X. Mode Z will be the maximum aero setting, generating a lot of downforce, used across the entire circuit, while mode X will be the reduced setting, freeing up aerodynamic load to improve top speed on straight lines.
An impact on the look of the 2026 F1 cars
The wings
Visually, the 2026 F1 cars will be slightly different from the current versions. The first noticeable change is the shape of the front and rear wings. The front wing is 10 cm narrower and especially features tips without downforce generation over the width of the front wheels.
The rear wing is also different. It loses its wave shape to become flatter, like the pre-2022 F1 cars, and also loses the beam wings, those elements located at the bottom of the wing near the exhaust outlets, which seem to be Red Bull’s current strength.
The end of the mini-mudguard
The FIA has removed the mini-mudguard placed above the front tires, which generated no aerodynamic benefit.
Narrower tires
The F1 tires will still be 18″, but they will be slightly narrower, without affecting grip according to the FIA, thanks to the lighter weight of the cars. The front tires will lose 2.5 cm, while the rear tires will lose 3 cm in width.
A smaller F1
Finally, the last point concerns the size of the F1 cars. Often criticized by drivers in recent seasons, the 2026 F1 cars will be shorter and narrower to offer cars closer to those of previous seasons, potentially generating more spectacle on less recent circuits like Imola.
Thus, the wheelbase between the front and rear axles is reduced by 20 cm to reach 3.4 m, while the width is reduced by 10 cm to reach 1.9 m.
