F1
Next season is going to see the biggest shake-up to F1 in years: here's why 2026 will be a huge challenge for the teams and lots of fun for the fans to watch.
In 2026, Max Verstappen will be competing in a new generation of F1 racing machine, which will feature revised chassis, engines and aerodynamics in the biggest overhaul of the sport in more than a decade. The way ahead is for lighter and more nimble cars powered by fuel-efficient hybrid engines.
01
Why is F1 revising the rules?
While the skill and athleticism of drivers can be game changing, F1 is fundamentally driven by technology. The sport is a testing ground for new tech that will ultimately find its way on to the roads and it needs to stay relevant to the automotive industry.
Another major factor is sporting: teams have extracted maximum performance out of the current set of regulations, which has seen the grid get closer, with much narrower gaps in lap times. That makes for exciting races, but also suggests the sport is reaching a point of stasis. Time to change strategy…
02
A green light for fuel-efficient engines
The 1600cc, V6 engines that have been the driving F1 since 2014 make way for an ultra-economic hybrid power unit that derives 50 percent of its power from an internal combustion engine and 50 percent from battery. It will use 100 percent sustainable fuels to generate that power. Unlocking the maximum performance from the new engine will be the first and biggest test for teams.
03
Active aerodynamics will replace DRS
The floor of the next generation cars will be simplified and instead of ground-effect, the performance will be boosted by the use of sophisticated active aerodynamics. The front and rear wings will be narrower and simpler, but will move to help the car's performance – X-mode (or Straight-Line Mode) will minimise drag on the straights while Z-mode (or Cornering Mode) deploys more downforce to enable drivers to take corners at higher speeds.
The simplified aero will reduce the wash of dirty air behind cars, allowing drivers to close on rivals and race wheel-to-wheel. When they're running within a second of the car in front, instead of DRS, the driver will have that boost of battery power to make it easier to pass.
04
Lighter, slimmer and faster cars
The powertains will be pushing lighter and smaller cars around the circuit as the weight drops by 30kg to a minimum total weight of 768kg – 100kg lighter than a Fiat 500 road car. The weight reduction comes in part by slimming the chassis from 2,000mm to 1,900m and shortening the cars from 3,600mm to 3,400mm. These lighter cars are intended to be more agile and manoeuvrable as part of a raft of changes geared to encourage closer racing.
05
Smaller tyres with no loss of grip
Tyre supplier Pirelli has agreed to reduce the front tyre width by 25mm and the rears by 30mm. The tyres will also be trimmed from 720mm diameter to 705-710mm. But with lightweight cars and reduced downforce and less drag, the hope is that grip and tyre wear should remain at the same level, helping to make the cars more raceable. The cars will be stronger than ever, with steps to make the chassis more resilient to impacts from the front and sides plus the
06
New teams and new engine suppliers
The new rules are also attracting new engine suppliers and teams: Red Bull Powertrains is partnering with Ford, who are returning to F1 to develop the engines that will power Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. Audi line-up on the grid having bought out Sauber and, for the first time in a decade, 11 teams will contest the season as Cadillac also comes to Formula 1. Audi will be making their own engines, while Cadillac will run with Ferrari power until their own engine plant is up and running.
07
The 2026 F1 World Championship calendar
The 2026 calendar sees the opening Australian Grand Prix brought forward to the beginning of March. The action remains in Asia with the rounds in China, Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, before switching to North America for Miami and Canada. The championship is back in its traditional heartland with the Monaco Grand Prix in June and remains there until the Spanish Grand Prix in September at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. After street races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, it's four rounds in the Americas and the season-closing races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Check it out below.
