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Formula 1 has revealed the official language that will be used to reference the intricate details of its new 2026 regulations.

The championship is implementing what is considered the biggest technical shift in its competitive history next season, featuring fresh chassis and power unit regulations and the mandatory use of 100% sustainable fuels.

The revised engines, which maintain the 1.6-litre V6 configuration, boast a greatly enhanced battery power, driving key advancements in the vehicles' aerodynamic design.

Over a race distance, competitors will tactically deploy battery power – potentially on hot laps – to secure the peak lap time.

Extensive fan consultation were carried out with a mix of viewers, including new, casual and core fans, to understand which terminology would make things clearer of the central aspects of the upcoming rules.

The key objective was to make a range of advanced technical aspects of the racing as straightforward as possible for the widest audience.

Consequently, initial designations for specific components – such as "alphabetical mode names" for the adjustable aero – have been phased out in favor of straightforward terms that succinctly convey the real-world effect of the technology.

Exploring the New Tech

The FIA states that competitors will have increased agency to determine tactics regarding energy deployment, energy recovery, and conservation.

The new regulations mandate a range of settings that will be visually displayed on broadcast screens to improve the viewers' comprehension of the race battle.

• Passing Mode: This supersedes the current DRS. It provides a short boost of battery power deployable when a driver is close behind the vehicle in front to facilitate an overtake.
• Power Mode: This is a driver-operated energy deployment from the energy recovery system that can be utilized during offensive or defensive moves. It provides the pilot full engine and battery energy at the click of a switch.

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

• Active Aero: Both the front and rear wings adjust their angles – spreading on the straights for low aerodynamic resistance and increased velocity, and sealing in the bends for peak grip.
• Battery Recharge: Drivers can replenish their battery with power recovered from braking, or during coasting at the straight's end or in sections where only limited engine output is applied.

Car Design Evolution

The next-generation machines will be more compact and lighter compared to the 2025 spec, with a car length cut by 200mm to 3,400mm, 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 constructors will naturally regain performance as they optimize their packages.

Aerodynamic drag has been cut by 40%. The cars will feature active aerodynamics – both wings will adjust on the straights to reduce drag and boost top speed and click back into place for maximum cornering performance.

Pirelli tyres will keep 18-inch rims, but the tyres themselves will be slimmer, by 25 millimetres on the front axle and 30mm at the rear.

What's Changing in the Engines?

The 2026 engines will have an approximate 50-50 split in power produced by the internal combustion engine and the battery and motor, a rise from about 20% battery contribution under present rules.

The ERS setup is simplified through the removal of the complex turbo energy recovery device, the complicated and costly unit that generated electricity from the turbo.

All vehicles will be mandated to operate on carbon-neutral fuel, produced using biomass or synthetic industrial processes.