A brand new period is underway for the Method 1 grid that may certainly shake issues up. The brand new rules are scheduled to take impact for 5 seasons, from modifications to the facility unit, chassis and aerodynamic guidelines to eradicating the DRS and changing it with MOM…cue the jokes. It’s not simply regulation modifications the drivers might want to deal with; Sauber will likely be changed by Audi and Cadillac is about to hitch.
With Cadillac becoming a member of the grid, this brings the quantity to 22 drivers preventing on the observe. Though it’s a brand new crew, it’s faces everyone knows and love – Valtteri Bottas and Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez will likely be making their grand return.
So Lengthy, DRS
Jenson Button was the primary Method 1 driver to press the DRS Button and Fernando Alonso was the primary driver to overhaul with the DRS Button. The final drivers to press and overtake have been Kimi Antonelli, who was the final to press the button and Lance Stroll, who offered the final overtake.
From 2026, DRS will likely be changed by ‘Handbook Override Engine Mode’–or ‘MOM’ for brief. This provides a brief enhance in hybrid energy.
Due to the brand new engines, when automobiles are travelling at 200mph, their pace will begin to dwindle, however with MOM useful, the drivers will be capable to achieve some additional electrical energy. This can probably comply with the identical guidelines that DRS has: that they should be inside one second of one other automotive.
Along with MOM, the automobiles will now have two states always: “Z Mode” and “X Mode”.
“Z Mode”: The entrance and rear wings are closed, which produces extra downforce for the corners.
“X Mode”: The drivers can open the flaps, which is able to scale back drag and improve their pace.
X-mode will solely be allowed at sure factors of the observe, and greater than prone to be unavailable in moist circumstances.
The New Automobiles
The automobiles will likely be 20cm smaller lengthwise and 10cm in width with a 3.4m wheelbase and 1.9m extensive. Pirelli have lowered their tyre width by 2.5cm on the entrance and 3cm on the rear, however the 18-inch diameter will keep the identical.
The automotive’s weight has additionally been lowered by 30kg to 786kg. The price of making these automobiles has elevated the finances cap from $135m (£102m) to $215m (£159.6m).
The brand new automobiles are anticipated to be 2 seconds slower than the 2025 automobiles, however with McLaren’s rocket ship that they had this yr, it might make the combat a bit of nearer for 2026.
Along with new automobiles, additionally they have new energy items. These energy items will likely be a 50-50 break up between electrical energy and inside combustion of the engine. The engines themselves are nonetheless the identical 1.6L V6 Turbo that has been used since 2014, however they are going to rely extra on electrical power, with practically a 300 p.c improve in electrical energy.
We are going to probably see the return of unreliability within the early races together with various ranges of energy.
Will the Racing Be the Identical?
In brief, no. We are going to probably see “elevate and coast” occurring all through the 2026 season, so the drivers can convey some power again to the automotive to make use of throughout longer acceleration intervals.
If one driver is lifting into braking zones and one other isn’t, we may probably see drivers from a great distance again out of the blue taking place the within of the automotive in entrance. The rationale for this being the MGU-Ok.
The MGU-Ok is an influence unit factor that may preserve deploying a most 350kW energy as much as 220mph. The automobiles with the perfect energy items will greater than probably have the perfect MGU-Ok because the drivers can deploy extra energy over a lap.
To maximise the effectivity of the MGU-Ok, lifting and coasting will turn out to be the brand new norm for drivers.
Mercedes driver George Russell stated:
“I believe you will notice extra overtakes subsequent yr, however extra overtakes in obscure areas – in areas the place we’ve by no means seen overtakes earlier than.”
Groups and Engine Suppliers
Purple Bull, who beforehand ran Honda-supported energy items, will now be operating their very own newly produced engines. Purple Bull Powertrains fashioned in 2021 and, with the assistance of Ford, the brand new Purple Bull-Ford engine was born.
Audi, beforehand Sauber, will likely be operating their very own engines for the 2026 season and new crew Cadillac will likely be utilizing Ferrari energy items till 2028, which is once they hope to have their very own engine.
Under are the groups and their engine suppliers:
- McLaren – Mercedes
- Mercedes – Mercedes
- Purple Bull – Purple Bull-Ford
- Ferrari – Ferrari
- Williams – Mercedes
- Haas – Ferrari
- Aston Martin – Honda
- Racing Bulls – Purple Bull-Ford
- Alpine – Mercedes
- Audi – Audi
- Cadillac – Ferrari
