Overtake Mode & Active Aero - Explaining F1's Updated Technical Jargon
The 2026 Formula 1 cars are set to be lighter, more agile and sustainable than this year.
F1 has revealed the official terminology that will be used to reference the technical complexities of its revolutionary 2026 regulations.
The sport is embarking on what is potentially the biggest regulation change in its competitive history next season, featuring revised car and engine specifications and the required adoption of eco-friendly fuels.
The updated 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids, which maintain the 1.6-litre V6 configuration, boast a greatly enhanced electrical capacity, requiring major innovations in the cars' aerodynamics.
During grand prix events, drivers will strategically manage electrical energy – sometimes even flying laps – to achieve the optimal performance.
Broad surveys were undertaken with a diverse audience, including dedicated enthusiasts and casual observers, to determine which terms would improve understanding of the key features of the new regulations.
The primary aim was to make a series of complex features of the sport as easy to grasp as possible for the widest audience.
Consequently, previous placeholder terms for certain devices – such as "x-mode and z-mode" for the adjustable aero – have been discarded in favour of intuitive labels that clearly indicate the primary purpose of the technology.
Exploring the New Tech
The FIA states that racers will have increased agency to choose strategies regarding power usage, energy recovery, and efficiency.
The upcoming changes mandate a range of settings that will be shown on television graphics to improve the fans' insight of the strategic duel.
- Attack Mode: This replaces the existing Drag Reduction System. It provides a surge of additional ERS power accessible when a car is close behind the leading car to facilitate an overtake.
- Boost Mode: This is a driver-operated battery discharge from the hybrid system that can be used in attack or defence. It provides the pilot peak output at the activation of a control.
Both of these strategic tools will have to be used with calculation, as the overall battery capacity is restricted.
- Active Aerodynamics: Both the front and rear wings adjust their angles – spreading on the high-speed sections for reduced drag and top speed, and closing in the corners for optimal cornering performance.
- Recharge: Drivers can replenish their battery with power recovered from braking, or during throttle lift at the conclusion of a straight or in sections where only limited engine output is required.
What's Changing on the Cars?
The next-generation machines will be more compact and lighter relative to current models, with a distance between axles cut by 200mm to 3,400mm, width narrowed by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the car weight reduced by 30kg.
Cumulative downforce is anticipated to be reduced by approximately 15-30%, although constructors will inevitably claw this back as they refine their designs.
Air resistance has been slashed by 40%. The vehicles will employ moveable wing elements – both wings will open on the straights to improve speed and enhance velocity and return into place for maximum cornering performance.
Wheels will keep 18-inch wheel rims, but the rubber compounds will be slimmer, by 25 millimetres on the front axle and three centimetres on the rear.
Power Unit Revolution
The 2026 engines will have an approximate 50-50 split in energy output by the ICE and the ERS, up from about one-fifth electric power under present rules.
The energy recovery system is streamlined through the removal of the MGU-H, the intricate and expensive component that recovered energy from the turbocharger.
Every car on the grid will be required to run on carbon-neutral fuel, produced using organic sources or synthetic production methods.
