What’s different about the new cars in 2026?
Lots is different after the biggest regulation overhaul in F1. Almost every area has changed: chassis, tyres, aerodynamics and power units. The cars are smaller and lighter, with reduced minimum weight and smaller overall length and width. Pirelli has introduced new, smaller tyres and compounds, so tyre behaviour will differ.
Aerodynamics
The aerodynamic platform moves back toward the pre-2022 style rather than the ground-effect focus of recent years. Cars are showing more rake (rear ride height higher than the front), giving a nose-down look. A major new feature is active aero: the rear wing will alter like DRS did to reduce drag on straights, and the front wing will move in concert. This “straight mode” will be used every lap on designated straights to boost straight-line speed for all cars, not just those within a time window of a rival.
Power units and batteries
Power units are now a combined engine and battery system with a roughly 50-50 power split between the internal combustion engine and electrical energy. Batteries have been producing power in F1 since 2014, but they now supply a much larger portion, requiring bigger battery systems. Harvesting energy from engine heat is now banned, shifting the harvesting balance toward braking and other methods. The aim is a simpler, more road-relevant engine architecture, but teams must adopt new compromises in engine operation and energy deployment.
Racing impact
Making cars smaller is intended to improve agility and overtaking. With less downforce than ground-effect designs, the cars will feel slippier and demand more from drivers to control and extract performance. Straight mode will reduce drag every lap on certain straights for all cars. DRS is being replaced by an overtake button: when permitted, drivers can deploy extra battery energy to close gaps and attempt passes. There will also be a boost mode for strategic, limited extra battery use. Energy management across a lap will become more visible and central to race strategy than before.
Starts and variability
Teams can no longer harvest heat energy, so turbos have been adjusted; some are nominally larger to perform better in-race but harder to spool at standing starts. Battery deployment is still restricted below 50 kph to prevent launch-control-style advantages. These factors create greater variability at race starts: turbo sizing and how teams manage revs on the grid affect launch performance, leading to more unpredictable starts.
Circuit-by-circuit differences
Energy deployment strategy will vary by track. Teams will decide where to harvest and where to deploy energy depending on straight lengths and overtaking opportunities. Qualifying remains straightforward — push for the fastest lap — but races will require trade-offs: e.g., conserve energy on a short straight you’re unlikely to be overtaken on and save it for a long straight where defence or attack matters. Expect different approaches in first practice at new venues as teams learn energy-management profiles and possibly converge toward similar solutions by qualifying.
What fans will notice
Fans will see wings moving more often due to straight mode and new graphics showing battery state and energy use. The cars may look similar lap-to-lap, but there should be greater variability in driving styles: less grip means more lock-ups and tyre wear sensitivity. Tyre strategy and battery management will remain key to overtaking. TV coverage will add telemetry and visuals to explain battery levels and straight-mode use, offering more context than before.
Driver skills and adaptation
Drivers need to relearn aspects of how the car behaves. They must manage harvesting (when to harvest energy into the battery), know where to deploy stored energy, and be more aware of how vulnerable they are to attacks when harvesting. Less aerodynamic grip shifts the limit from being power-limited to grip-limited, changing braking and cornering approaches. New procedures (starts, energy-related pit-stop implications) require additional practice and electronic management skills.
Who might benefit?
The changes will favour drivers and teams who adapt quickly to tyre and energy management, and those whose driving styles suit lower-grip cars. Historically, drivers who excel at tyre conservation and strategic racecraft have found advantages (examples cited include drivers like Sergio Pérez). Power-unit architecture and turbo characteristics may advantage some manufacturers at starts or in-race performance, so team-by-team and driver-by-driver differences are likely.
Will the racing change dramatically?
Expect differences, but not a wholesale revolution. Tyres, mechanical grip and race strategy will still play central roles in overtaking. Straight mode and the overtake button add tools for passing, and clearer battery telemetry will make energy management more visible to fans. How much the on-track spectacle changes will become clearer as the season progresses and teams optimize energy strategies at different circuits.
Australian GP schedule highlights (Sky Sports)
Thursday March 5: Drivers’ press conference, Paddock Uncut, F3/F2 practice sessions.
Friday March 6: F1 Practice One, additional support sessions, The F1 Show.
Saturday March 7: F3 Sprint, F1 Practice Three, F2 Sprint, F1 Qualifying (5am).
Sunday March 8: F2 Feature Race, Australian Grand Prix build-up, AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (4am) and post-race coverage.
Watch every race of the 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports, starting with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6–8. Stream Sky Sports with NOW (no contract).