Motor racing-F1 unveils 'nimble' car for new era starting in 2026

Liberty Media

06/06/2024 14:30

By Alan Baldwin
       June 6 (Reuters) - Formula One will enter a new era in
2026 with smaller and lighter cars featuring active aerodynamics
and a Manual Override system to unleash more electrical power
and help make racing closer and more exciting.
    The governing FIA presented the technical regulations on
Thursday and said the new generation of 'nimble' cars would be
30kg lighter with better efficiency and handling.
    The simpler hybrid power units will have almost 300% more
battery power and an even split between internal combustion and
electric.
    Manual override, effectively replacing the Drag Reduction
System (DRS), will provide an on-demand burst of battery power
to create more overtaking opportunities.
    FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem hailed "a unique revision
that will ensure our premier championship is even more relevant
to what is happening in the world". 
    "We have created a set of regulations designed to not only
improve racing but also to make the championship even more
attractive to PU (power unit) manufacturers, OEMs and existing
competitors," he said in a statement. 
    "The key features of the 2026 F1 Regulations are advanced,
sustainability technology and safety. Our aim, together with
Formula One, was to produce a car that was right for the future
of the sport’s elite category. We believe we have achieved that
goal."
    Formula One will have 10 teams and six power unit
manufacturers from 2026 -- Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Honda,
Audi and Red Bull Ford -- and the cars will run on 100% 'drop-
in' sustainable fuel.
    The regulations, revealed in Montreal ahead of this
weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, will be ratified by the FIA's
World Motor Sport Council on June 28.
    The width of the cars will shrink from 2.0 metres to 1.9,
with the maximum floor width reduced by 150mm and the wheelbase
dropping from a maximum of 3.6 metres to 3.4.
    The 2026 cars will weigh a minimum 768kg while downforce
will be reduced by 30% and drag by 55%. The width of the front
tyres will be reduced by 25mm and the rears by 30mm, also saving
weight.
    Active aerodynamics systems involve movable front and rear
wings, producing greater cornering speeds with the standard 'Z'
mode deployed.
    Drivers can then switch to a low drag 'X' mode on the
straights to go faster. The rear wing will have three elements
and the narrower front wing a two element active flap.
    "We need to have a car concept that suits the power unit,"
said the FIA's single seater technical director Jan Monchaux.
    "So the decision was made to go for what we have called a
'nimble' car, a slightly smaller car with less downforce, but
with a big focus on less drag.
    "Right now with the DRS you are behind a car, within a
second, that ticks a box and you are allowed to open your DRS in
a straight line. This will not be the case anymore. 
    "However, the logic will be the same: I'm close enough to
another car, I am given an extra amount of energy for that one
lap, which I can deploy any way I want."
    Front wheel arches will be removed and the cars will feature
a partially flat floor and lower-powered diffuser to reduce the
ground effect.    
    New safety measures include increased side intrusion
protection, significantly brighter rear wing endplate lights and
increased roll hoop loads.

 (Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian
Radnedge)
 ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933;))