The focus of new F1 regulations 2026 previewed during the Canadian GP weekend relates to the power units. The engines will undergo the biggest changes and will have different characteristics which will also influence the performance of the single-seaters. The main purpose of the innovations was immediately to attract new car manufacturers, frightened so far by the complexity and costs of current power units. Closely linked to the peculiarities of the new power units are the changes relating to the cars, which will be shorter, narrower and approximately 30 kg lighter. Active aerodynamics will also be introduced, to compensate for the loss of cornering ability due to the lower aerodynamic load.
F1 2026: because the cars will have less aerodynamic resistance
The Technical Director of the FIA single-seaters, Nikolas Tombazishe explained on the podcast “Beyond the Grid” the reason why it was necessary to introduce new regulations regarding chassis that took into consideration the characteristics of the new power units: “We need to have cars with less rolling resistance, less aerodynamic drag, and that’s what these technical regulations have done. The current generation cars have a slightly too high aerodynamic resistance and, therefore, they would suffer a certain drop in speed towards the end of the straights. We believe we have solved this problem for new cars“.
More powerful engines and goodbye to the MGU-H
The total power provided by the 2026 engines should be greater than the current one, albeit with different characteristics of the power unit: “The power output will actually be a little bit higher than where we are now, approximately there will be an increase of about 100 horsepower. The engine will have much lower power as regards internal combustion: we will drop from around 550 to around 400 kilowatts (from around 750 hp to around 550), while the electrical part will increase greatly, going from 120 to 350 kilowatts (from about 160 hp to about 475). So we will have an almost 50/50 ratio between internal combustion engine power and electrical energy. This is a fundamental difference and, in this process, we removed the MGU-H which is the device that converts part of the exhaust energy into electrical energy“.
Attractive rules for new builders
This rethinking of the power units, and the removal of the MGU-H, were designed to make hybrid engines simpler, with the aim – apparently successful – of attracting new manufacturers: “We did it mainly for simplicity and to reduce some of the complexity of the engines. We wanted it to make sure we could attract newcomers to the sportwhich I think was quite successful” Tombazis confirmed with satisfaction. The reference is to the expected entry of Audi and Ford (the latter with Red Bull Technology) in 2026 and the announced entry of General Motors in 2028.
Another innovation relating to the 2026 F1 engines on which the FIA has focused heavily is that relating to sustainable fuels. Tombazis added: “This is an important step. In 2026 the fuel will be completely sustainablewhich, as I said before, is one of the big steps towards sustainability, although it is by no means the definitive step“.
