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F1 has unveiled the official language that will be used to explain the advanced features of its new 2026 regulations.

The sport is introducing what is arguably the biggest technical shift in its competitive history starting in 2026, featuring new chassis and engine rules and the required adoption of fully sustainable fuels.

The new power units, which maintain the 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid, boast a substantially higher electrical capacity, necessitating significant developments in the cars' aerodynamics.

Over a race distance, pilots will carefully oversee ERS energy – sometimes even flying laps – to extract the optimal performance.

Broad surveys were conducted with a diverse audience, including dedicated enthusiasts and casual observers, to determine which phrases would aid comprehension of the key features of the 2026 changes.

The stated goal was to make a series of complex technical aspects of the racing as easy to grasp as possible for the broadest viewership.

Consequently, initial designations for specific components – such as "modes labelled X and Z" for the moveable wings – have been discarded in preference for descriptive names that directly explain the actual function of the system.

Key Technical Innovations

The FIA states that racers will have increased agency to determine tactics regarding power usage, energy recovery, and conservation.

The upcoming changes mandate a range of settings that will be visually displayed on TV overlays to aid the fans' insight of the race battle.

• Overtake Mode: This supersedes the present overtaking aid. It provides a surge of additional ERS power deployable when a driver is less than a second the car ahead to facilitate an pass.
• Boost Mode: This is a driver-operated energy deployment from the ERS that can be utilized during attack or defence. It delivers the driver maximum power at the activation of a control.

Both of these crucial modes will have to be used with calculation, as the total energy is capped.

• Active Aero: Both the car's wings adjust their angles – flattening on the straights for reduced drag and increased velocity, and angling down in the bends for peak grip.
• Energy Harvesting: Cars can replenish their battery with regenerative braking, or during coasting at the conclusion of a straight or in corners where only limited engine output is required.

2026 Car Specifications

The 2026 cars will be more compact and lighter relative to current models, with a wheelbase shortened by 200mm to 3,400mm, car width narrowed by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the car weight reduced by 30kg.

Total aerodynamic grip is projected to decrease by approximately a significant margin, although squads will inevitably claw this back as they refine their designs.

Drag has been slashed by 40%. The vehicles will feature active aerodynamics – both wings will adjust on the straights to reduce drag and enhance velocity and revert into place for optimal grip in corners.

Tyres will retain 18-inch rims, but the actual tyres will be narrower, by a quarter-centimetre on the front and three centimetres on the rear.

Power Unit Revolution

The 2026 engines will have an approximate 50-50 split in horsepower generated by the ICE and the battery and motor, increasing from about 20% battery contribution in the current formula.

The ERS setup is streamlined through the deletion of the MGU-H, the sophisticated and pricey component that harvested power from the turbo.

All vehicles will be obliged to compete on fully sustainable fuel, created from biomass or synthetic production methods.