Active Aero & Overtake Mode - Explaining F1's Fresh Regulatory Terminology
The 2026 cars are designed to be more compact, agile and eco-conscious than this year.
Formula 1 has unveiled the official terminology that will be used to reference the advanced features of its new 2026 rulebook.
The championship is implementing what is arguably the largest rules overhaul in its competitive history next season, featuring fresh chassis and power unit regulations and the compulsory introduction of 100% sustainable fuels.
The revised engines, which maintain the 1.6-litre V6 configuration, boast a significantly increased electrical capacity, necessitating major innovations in the vehicles' aerodynamic design.
Throughout races, pilots will strategically manage battery power – sometimes even flying laps – to secure the optimal performance.
Broad surveys were conducted with a diverse audience, including dedicated enthusiasts and casual observers, to understand which phrases would improve understanding of the key features of the upcoming rules.
The stated goal was to render a set of intricate features of the sport as straightforward as possible for the broadest viewership.
Consequently, previous placeholder terms for certain devices – such as "alphabetical mode names" for the active aerodynamics – have been discarded in preference for intuitive labels that succinctly convey the primary purpose of the technology.
What's the New Technology?
The FIA states that competitors will have greater control to make decisions regarding battery management, harvesting, and efficiency.
The 2026 rules mandate a range of settings that will be clearly indicated on TV overlays to improve the fans' insight of the strategic duel.
- Passing Mode: This replaces the existing Drag Reduction System. It provides a surge of additional ERS power available when a driver is less than a second the vehicle in front to execute an overtaking maneuver.
- Power Mode: This is a on-demand power boost from the energy recovery system that can be used in attack or defence. It provides the driver peak output at the click of a switch.
Both of these strategic tools will have to be deployed strategically, as the total energy is capped.
- Adjustable Aero: Both the front and rear wings adjust their angles – flattening on the long straight sections for reduced drag and top speed, and sealing in the turns for peak grip.
- Energy Harvesting: Drivers can recharge the energy store with regenerative braking, or during coasting at the straight's end or in sections where only partial power is used.
Car Design Evolution
The vehicles for the new era will be reduced in size and weight relative to current models, with a car length cut by 200mm to 3,400mm, width cut by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the minimum weight decreased by 30kg.
Overall downforce is projected to decrease by approximately 15-30%, although squads will inevitably claw this back as they optimize their packages.
Aerodynamic drag has been reduced by 40%. The cars will feature adjustable aero systems – front and rear wings will open on the straights to reduce drag and boost top speed and return into place for optimal grip in corners.
Tyres will continue to use 18-inch rims, but the actual tyres will be slimmer, by 25 millimetres on the front axle and 30 millimetres on the rear axle.
Power Unit Revolution
The 2026 engines will have an approximate 50-50 split in power produced by the ICE and the battery and motor, increasing from about 20% electrical under present rules.
The energy recovery system is simplified through the elimination of the MGU-H, the complicated and costly device that recovered energy from the turbocharger.
Cars will be required to run on carbon-neutral fuel, manufactured from organic sources or synthetic production methods.
