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The world of Formula 1 has revealed the official vocabulary that will be used to describe the intricate details of its new 2026 rulebook.

The racing series is implementing what is considered the most significant regulation change in its long history for the 2026 campaign, featuring fresh chassis and power unit regulations and the mandatory use of fully sustainable fuels.

The updated 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids, which keep the 1.6-litre V6 configuration, boast a substantially higher electrical capacity, requiring major innovations in the cars' aerodynamics.

Throughout races, pilots will tactically deploy ERS energy – including during qualifying laps – to extract the peak result.

Wide-ranging research were conducted with a diverse audience, including new, casual and core fans, to understand which phrases would improve understanding of the central aspects of the new regulations.

The primary aim was to make a range of advanced features of the sport as straightforward as possible for the broadest viewership.

Consequently, previous placeholder terms for specific components – such as "x-mode and z-mode" for the adjustable aero – have been discarded in favour of descriptive names that directly explain the real-world effect of the innovation.

Key Technical Innovations

According to rule-makers that competitors will have greater control to make decisions regarding battery management, energy recovery, and efficiency.

The upcoming changes introduce a series of modes that will be visually displayed on television graphics to aid the fans' insight of the on-track action.

• Attack Mode: This takes over from the current DRS. It provides a surge of additional ERS power accessible when a competitor is less than a second the vehicle in front to assist with an pass.
• Boost Mode: This is a manual power boost from the hybrid system that can be used in overtaking or defending. It delivers the pilot peak output at the activation of a control.

Both of these crucial modes will have to be deployed strategically, as the overall battery capacity is strictly limited.

• Adjustable Aero: Both the nose and rear wings adjust their angles – spreading on the long straight sections for low aerodynamic resistance and increased velocity, and sealing in the turns for peak grip.
• Recharge: Drivers can recharge the energy store with energy harvested under braking, or during partial power application at the end of straights or in sections where only partial power is required.

2026 Car Specifications

The vehicles for the new era will be reduced in size and weight relative to current models, with a car length reduced by 200mm to 3,400mm, car width narrowed by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the car weight decreased by 30kg.

Overall downforce is projected to decrease by approximately a significant margin, although squads will inevitably claw this back as they develop their cars.

Aerodynamic drag has been cut by 40%. The cars will feature moveable wing elements – both wings will open on the straight sections to reduce drag and enhance velocity and revert into place for maximum cornering performance.

Tyres will continue to use 18-inch rims, but the tyres themselves will be narrower, by a quarter-centimetre on the front and 30mm at the rear.

2026 Engine Regulations

The 2026 engines will have an roughly half-and-half distribution in horsepower generated by the ICE and the battery and motor, up from about one-fifth electric power in the current formula.

The energy recovery system is simplified through the elimination of the complex turbo energy recovery device, the intricate and expensive component that generated electricity from the exhaust turbo.

Cars will be required to run on carbon-neutral fuel, produced using organic sources or lab-created processes.