FIA announce 2026 Formula 1 regulations
Published on 06 June 2024 by Stefan Meens
The FIA have officially announced the Formula 1 regulations for 2026. F1’s governing body is aiming for the sport to be more “agile, competitive, safer and more sustainable”.
From 2026 onwards Formula 1 will have:
- More agile cars, which are 30kg lighter (a minimum weight of 768kg). The maximum wheelbase has been reduced by 200mm to 3400mm while the width has been cut by 100mm to 1900mm.
- A redesigned power unit featuring increased battery power and an even split between internal combustion engine and electric power plus the use of 100% sustainable fuels. While power from the hybrid unit has dropped from 550-560kw to 400kw, the battery element has risen significantly from 120kw to 350kw – an almost 300% increase in electric power.
- Active aerodynamics in the form of moveable front and rear wings to allow for closer racing. The FIA say the 2026 cars will be switchable between two configurations, to either minimise fuel consumption or to maximise cornering performance. Downforce is set to reduce by 30% and drag by 55%.
- Increased overtaking opportunities through the introduction of a new system – Manual Override Mode - that gives drivers a short burst of additional battery power when within one second of the car in front. DRS will no longer feature on the cars from 2026.
- Smaller tyres; Pirelli’s 18-inch wheel size introduced in 2022 will remain, however the width of the 2026-spec front tyres has been reduced by 25mm and the rears by 30mm compared to the previous generation of cars.
- Improved safety through stronger structures and even tougher tests.
