F1 2026 thread

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-to-expect-from-f1-2026s-so-different-driving-styles/
How different will 2026 F1 cars be to drive?

The driving style demanded by the new-for-2026 Formula 1 cars is, according to Charles Leclerc, “so different”. With many of his peers sharing that view, what should we actually expect next year from those in the cockpit?

The need to maximise the energy recovered over a lap with the new power units is the defining characteristic of the 2026 cars.
The power units remain 1.6-litre, V6 turbos, as they have been since 2014, but are shorn of the MGU-H.
"It's really early days at the moment, but just look at Formula E - I think it's a more extreme version as to where we're going," said Albon."It's really early days at the moment, but just look at Formula E - I think it's a more extreme version as to where we're going," said Albon.
“There’s going to be so much more attention on the simulator work that we're going to be doing over the winter, making sure that we understand how it all works and trying different driving styles and things to make it work.”

That’s significant given under the current regulations that some drivers adapted very rapidly to the modified braking demands.

Max Verstappen and Leclerc were two of the sharpest to adjust their braking profile to optimise the dynamics of the car at corner entry, something others had to catch up with. Some, such as Lewis Hamilton, appear to have never been entirely happy with these demands.

But there’s a potential double benefit next year given the need to drive quickly while managing the deployment and harvesting of energy. Albon likens that to what we’ve seen in the all-electric Formula E championship and thinks there will be compound gains from really nailing the driving style.
There’s also the braking systems themselves to be considered, with more of the braking done by the ERS system and the potential for smaller rear brake discs and the resulting dynamic impact on the car.
The power of the MGU-K increases from 120kW to 350kW (161bhp to 469bhp) thanks to the push to have a roughly 50/50 split of V6 to electrical power – in reality more like 55/45 in favour of the internal combustion engine. The demand for harvesting is therefore significantly higher.

That impacts the driving technique because there is set to be an increase in the need to lift and coast on the straights.

There’s also talk of premature downshifting to maximise the energy recovery, although the worst-case scenario predictions of regular multiple downshifts were based on early simulations that have long since been superseded. But whatever happens, harvesting energy will be crucial.

The extent of that challenge will depend on the circuit. Energy harvesting is restricted to 8.5 megajoules per lap, but not all circuits are equal.

At a circuit like Silverstone, with a low braking demand but plenty of flat-out running, drivers will be pushed to extremes to maximise the energy harvested.
By contrast, at tracks like Monaco or the Hungaroring, which are towards the upper end of the scale in terms of braking with limited long straights, the impact will be far smaller and, according to some, require little or perhaps even no adaptation compared to now in terms of lifting and coasting.
On top of that, there could also be some unusual throttle strategies deployed.

What’s clear is that drivers will often need to deploy a style where they less often immediately transition from full throttle to braking. It’s a technique they are well-versed in from having to lift and coast to save fuel, but it will be more extreme.
The challenge, therefore, is judging the constant adjustments in braking point in order to ensure good speed is carried into the corner. What’s more, there will be optimal ways to brake to ensure the energy harvested is maximised, which could be decisive at certain circuits.
This is why some drivers, such as Alex Albon, believe there could be advantages to be gained for those who adapt well.

On top of that, there will also be different braking demands in terms of the systems used as these will be conceived around maximising harvesting. Williams has what Albon calls a 'working group' focused on preparing the drivers for that change given the extent of the challenge.

“It will be different to anything we've used before,” said Albon. “We will get used to it, that's the job of the driver, but it is going to take some getting used to. Let's just say, for example, our winter break, I don't think it'll be spent as casually as it was the previous few years where we're just training and all that kind of thing.
“You can see how the drivers manipulate [the driving strategies in] the race and qualifying and how they deploy and all these kinds of things, to gain performance.

"It's not going to be at that extreme, but there will be an element of the drivers who have the brain capacity to understand and facilitate all these demands will go well.”
“There’s going to be so much more attention on the simulator work that we're going to be doing over the winter, making sure that we understand how it all works and trying different driving styles and things to make it work.”

That’s significant given under the current regulations that some drivers adapted very rapidly to the modified braking demands.

Max Verstappen and Leclerc were two of the sharpest to adjust their braking profile to optimise the dynamics of the car at corner entry, something others had to catch up with. Some, such as Lewis Hamilton, appear to have never been entirely happy with these demands.

But there’s a potential double benefit next year given the need to drive quickly while managing the deployment and harvesting of energy. Albon likens that to what we’ve seen in the all-electric Formula E championship and thinks there will be compound gains from really nailing the driving style.
"It's really early days at the moment, but just look at Formula E - I think it's a more extreme version as to where we're going," said Albon.
“You can see how the drivers manipulate [the driving strategies in] the race and qualifying and how they deploy and all these kinds of things, to gain performance.

"It's not going to be at that extreme, but there will be an element of the drivers who have the brain capacity to understand and facilitate all these demands will go well.”

There will still be a premium on maximising pace into, through and out of corners as it’s a myth that lifting and coasting means driving slowly. If anything, there’s an art to driving quickly while doing that and drivers adept at this should benefit next year.

Current feedback indicates that the cars are also more benign in terms of their balance and easier to get into the right window than the current tricky machines thanks to the aerodynamic regulations.

That potentially means there will be a little more variety in what cornering styles are achievable, but only within the need to maximise the efficiency of the energy harvesting strategies.

The cars have less downforce and narrower tyres, which Pirelli has been asked to produce to make a contribution to the required reduction in drag, so that will impact cornering speeds.

However, it’s important to note that as these cars develop it’s very possible they will become more esoteric in terms of balance.

It’s possible that as the cars evolve, the level of rake (raised ride height at the rear relative to the front) will increase over time as teams find ways to ‘seal’ the underfloor and ensure it still works at higher ride heights.

And as cars are pushed into extremes as the optimum development path is followed, it’s possible they will become more specific in their cornering demands.

There are other changes that will be simpler to deal with.

For example, while there’s been much talk about the switch between straightline and corner mode, which knocks back the wing level on the straights, this should be neither a big challenge nor a significant opportunity provided the rules remain as expected.

This will be accessible in the mandated zones, which it has confirmed will be placed wherever the cars are not traction-limited, ie when comfortably at full throttle.
It won’t be until the real-world cars start running in late January that we can draw definitive conclusions on the driving style demands, especially given there are still details of the regulations being fine-tuned.

One thing is certain: the most adaptable and innovative drivers are likely to thrive with the changes to the 2026 cars.

 

FIA’s 2026 changes should make the grid much tighter. Removing the MGU-H lowers costs and makes it easier for new manufacturers to compete. On top of that, the ADUO system gives extra testing and development opportunities to engine suppliers that fall more than 3% behind the best. For fans who want to get a clear picture of how the 2026 regulations work, this guide would be an excellent read for them. If it all plays out as planned, the next era should see closer fights and less risk of a single team dominating like we saw in the past.

 

I have read that the fear is a 'pseudo' BOP matrix for F1.

 

Yep, the FIA has answered the call of most F1 followers who want close racing.

 

F1 2026 Engines: What’s REALLY Changing?

 

the party is over, total FIA control

https://racingnews365.com/fia-to-introduce-strict-rules-over-too-fast-f1-cars---report

 

The FIA is going to restrict the cars from going too fast on certain tracks like Monaco and Singapore....it has something to do with the deployment of the NEW and more powerful ERS system.

 

Famous last words..."If it all plays out as planned...". In this hybrid era, every year the cars come to the grid after months of computer design and sim testing. And surprise surprise, nothing works as they thought it would. Every year the "rule makers" say they are going to make the racing tighter. And every year the slow teams are the slower teams and the fast teams are the faster teams. Every year the "rule makers" say they are trying to reduce the cost...and every year it gets more and more expensive. What F1 needs to do is get rid of the rules makers, and give the engineers and designers free reign to make the fastest cars possible.

 

Power Unit F1 2026: “Ramp Down” and dynamic energy recovery. How power will be managed in the sessions of race weekends and on the different tracks in the calendar.

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Like Mclaren or Wiliams lol

Russell confident Mercedes will have the best F1 2026 engine - but is wary of customer teams

 

and ... Alpine !!

I wonder why Cadillac didn't chose Mercedes power to start with.

 

‘FIA is pushing to introduce V8 engines by 2029 in Formula One’

According to a report by Auto Motor und Sport, the dye has been cast, and the chosen engines to replace the upcoming 2026 spec power units will be 2.4 litre V8s.
The proposed V8 engines would also have a hybrid component, which would, however, be scaled back to a position in between the current engines and the 2026 ones, with a deployment ranging from 220 to 240 kilowatts of power. These engines would run on a CO2-neutral fuel which is to be burned with a pre-chamber ignition process in a fuel-saving mode.

With Red Bull and Cadillac as suggested supporters of the FIA in the initiative, at least according to the German website, the date for the change is set to be 2029, at the governing body’s behest.

Audi and Honda to veto the initiative?
Audi and Honda reportedly feel that three years under the current regulations will be far too little given the high costs associated with the investment that is being injected into the upcoming power units.

For Mercedes the case seems to be more clear-cut, since the German manufacturer are rumoured to be ahead of the other OEMs in terms of performance in the 2026 power units.
As other manufacturers, including Ferrari reportedly, are calling for a reduction in terms of the electrical side’s 50% of power output responsibility in the new engines, Mercedes are reportedly fixed on their stance to keep power ratios as is.
As of now, the German medium assures that there will be yet another power unit regulation summit during the Italian Grand Prix, where all manufacturers, along with the FIA, will look to strike an agreement for the upcoming 2026 regulations as well as for the following regulations, which as of yet aren’t due until 2031, when the 2026 power unit regulations have run their course.

 

Buys tickets for 2029 races.

 

They can't change the engine formula every 3 years !!

 

LOL!!

 

Rational FIA leadership does not exist lol. MBS is unable to guide, just talks and issues spontaneous ideas and thinks he should be running F1!

 

F1 moves closer to V8 engine switch https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-accelerates-push-for-v8-engine-future/
- (Domenicali Money Master thinks we should focus on the new regs of course lol.) "But I don't want to take away the focus of next year's generation of regulation or power unit, because that will be wrong."
Sep 4, 2025

Formula 1 is accelerating moves towards a switch back to V8s with engine manufacturers called to a summit with the FIA after the Italian Grand Prix to discuss the plans.
Even while F1's next generation turbo hybrid power units for 2026 have not yet run in anger, there is a growing acceptance among grand prix racing's chiefs that a switch to fully sustainable fuels opens new opportunities for the longer term.

Amid concerns about the complicated technology and high costs of the new 2026 engine, momentum has been building for F1 to make a switch for the subsequent rules cycle.

While a plan earlier this year to consider V10 engines did not gather support among the current manufacturers, discussions have taken place over recent weeks about an alternative power unit plan to eventually replace the turbo hybrids.

The Race has learned that the leading idea now is for a 2.4-litre V8 internal combustion engine that will be run on fully sustainable fuel.

This will be bolstered by a simplified hybrid Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) – which will mean the electrical contribution to the overall power output is reduced from the rough 50% in 2026 to around 10%.

The hope is that the less complicated engines, and the removal of heavy battery packs, will help trigger both a dramatic reduction in costs – potentially as much as 65% - but also help reduce weight.

Early figures have suggested that the proposed new era power units could be as much as 80kg lighter than what is coming next year.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has made no secret of the fact that he wants F1 to embark on a new direction as he feels the turbo hybrids have hit the end of the road.

Speaking to The Race at the British GP in July, he said: "Now they can see, the teams and the PUMs [power unit manufacturers], that we cannot go on with this [current] engine.

"It is such a complicated engine with the MGU-H. It did its time, but did it reach to the expectation? In another three years, I hope it's an old engine, as it will be 15 years [since it was introduced in its first form]."

The timing issue
While it is understood that the new V8 engine concept has growing support among teams and manufacturers as a long-term option, where there does appear to be less consensus is the timing of the switch.

The current plan, if nothing changes, is for the new turbo hybrids to run from 2026 until the end of 2030.

Ben Sulayem has however made no secret of the fact that he would like a change to happen earlier than this, so does not want to wait until 2031 for something new to be in place.

The Race understands that one of the main points of discussion that needs locking down is where support lies among teams and manufacturers in terms of timing.

While one idea is to make the change as early as 2029, sources suggest that a lot of manufacturers feel this is too early – so instead they would prefer to wait until 2030.

This is further backed up by a reality that a move to V8s would require all-new chassis regulations as well, so there is a reluctance to force another total revamp of rules so soon after the 2026 switch.

To help better gauge the feeling in the paddock, the FIA has called a meeting for September 11 with manufacturer and team representatives to discuss the issues at play and see what the next steps should be.

The idea of a future with V8s run on fully sustainable fuel does have support at a senior level, with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali having long backed it.

Speaking to The Race before the summer break, Domenicali felt the combination of V8s, with sustainable fuel and some hybrid elements, would be perfect.

"Sustainable fuel, [and a] V8, I think is great. And hybridisation is, I do believe, the next step of the future," he said.

"But I don't want to take away the focus of next year's generation of regulation or power unit, because that will be wrong.

"So let's stay focused on what has to be developed in the next couple of years. And then I think that that's the future. I agree."

 

Some manufacturers aren't keen of going back to the 2.4ltr V8.

The hell with them I say.

 

I can understand the reluctance of some constructors to throw away years of R&D (literally $Billions), and revert back to the technology they used 20 years ago,
It simply doesn't make sense, neither from an engineering point of view, nor financially.
This backpedalling can only happend in F1 !! All this done on the altar of nostalgia, I presume ...

 

True but then again, that "technology" is only relevant to production cars in let's say 5 to 10 years from now AND on global governments that WANT to make them relevant by FORCING that technology down their area of governance. In the global scale, that technology has to be somewhat cheap and currently the ICE/ATMO platform is cheap whether by moped, motorcycle or by 4 cylinder vehicles and in diesel platforms as well. Which is why I always say, let the people decide for themselves on what they want to travel in as opposed to local governments deciding for them. Let the people make a choice on where that technology needs to go as cheaply and as efficient(time is money) as possible whether by family or by business.

 

That "technology" exists already today ! Hybrid cars (hybrid+ or plug-in-hybrids) are best sellers in Europe !
Their advantages have been amply demonstrated. They sell more than EVs or traditional ICEs.
Most serious carmakers have hybrid cars in their range.

Most people, I am convinced, cannot "decide for themselves" without some government guidance.
They need to be educated away from wasting unnecessarily energy, or polluling without shame, both affecting not only themselves but others around them, their country and the environment at large.

 

Dude, if you wanted to go back to V8 engines you should have made it now. nobody is going to accept another change in three years. Also 2.4 V8 is quite "been there, done that". I suspect FIA is just trying to deflect the blame: "hey, we asked but the manufaturers don´t want".

 

Lack of sound, too much practice, not enough passing, too much hybrid so back to the early 2000's - P I N N A C L E of lost, no direction etc. If 2 makers leave they wont have enough motors. Cadillac should not bother building a PU as I said months ago. Total waste of resources. Build a chassis and install Herta after a year. Stay with Ferrari power. Make more money and spend less. Thats F1. Now its a franchise business like most major sports. Team value, not future or direction lol. Who needs F1................

 

"Problem of society": F1 drivers debate Domenicali's plan for shorter races
Fernando Alonso believes it isn't the responsibility of Formula 1 to fix society’s short attention spans

In response to the above was this comment:

Maybe tennis matches should be reduced to “sudden death” single sets. Or golf to 6 holes, Rugby Union to 20 minutes each way instead of 40? WTF are these idiots trying to do? The sport is becoming more popular than ever and they want to mess with the format. If it ain't broke don’t fix it!!!
Sports heritage IS IMPORTANT!

 

This doesn't sound very promising: