Formula 1’s sweeping regulation overhaul for 2026 is already looming large in the minds of teams and drivers. The new cars promise to change not only aerodynamics and power units, but also the way drivers themselves must think and operate behind the wheel.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz has admitted after his first simulator sessions that the next-generation cars “it occupies a lot of brain space while you’re driving.” Alex Albon has described. The cars as “very complicated” whilst Lance Stroll likened them to a “science project” adding: “I think a lot of drivers can agree with that, and I don’t think some of them can talk about it for political reasons.”
Albon’s comments drive Williams boss James Vowles to set up a dedicated working group to help drivers adjust their driving style and mental approach to the challenge. The emerging picture is one where F1 drivers of the next era will spend a huge amount of their time in the car, managing the energy resources at their fingertips.
A huge amount of work
The new cars will have an Indycar style power boost which gives the drivers the freedom to push to pass anywhere on each circuit, rather than just inside the defined DRS zones. The boost is believed to be a defied number of seconds per lap which the drivers will be able to access, rather than an Indycar style race total of 150 or 200 seconds.
In addition to this the drivers will need to activate the high downforce settings for the front and rear wings when entering a slow or medium speed corner, then return them to the low downforce setting on exit as the put don the power.
This is all on top of the brake balance adjustments the drivers make several times a lap already and any other mode shifts, like the differential used to improve traction at times. The world load does indeed sound monumental, which is why there were calls earlier this year to see if modifications to the power units were possible.
Despite misgivings from Red Bull and Ferrari, the German manufacturers in particular were resistant to any change in the design regulations as stated. Another proposal was put to the F1 commission which suggested retaining the current architecture but turning down the electrical element from 50% to 35-40%. This was rejected too.
FIA: “final rules…. not finished”
Yet FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis argues the pictures the drivers currently have from their simulations is not quite so clear. “Firstly, Albon and others haven’t driven the final rules yet, because they’re not finished,” he told Motorsport.com. “Secondly, yes, if you don’t automate certain areas, there will be more burden on the drivers. That’s true.”
Currently the Formula One cars learn themselves when and how to harvest the electrical energy from track to tack, which is why Lando Norris complained in Belgium he was down on power. As the McLaren circulated for several laps behind the safety car before the rolling start in Spa, Norris allowed it to relearn the new conditions being experienced for the first time that weekend, which left him with a power deficit when the lights went green.
The new rules will hand drivers more variables than ever before: active aerodynamics, Manual Override Mode, complex energy deployment per lap, and revised hybrid systems. Managing all of this could risk turning F1 into a mental juggling act rather than a flat-out contest.
“We don’t want to overload the driver,” Tombazis admitted. “But equally there must be freedom for him to influence the racing — to attack, to defend. Some elements will be automated behind the scenes so he doesn’t need to worry about them mid-corner, but some will remain under his control.”
“Smart drivers always prevail”
The FIA is now wrestling with where the balance lies. Tombazis stressed that F1 cannot become a “chess game of energy management,” but equally should not be reduced to something as basic as “just a steering wheel, a throttle, and a brake.” Albon has hinted that smarter drivers might be able to exploit the new rules. “The word ‘abuse’ was taken too literally,” he laughed a week later, but his point remained: those with the spare mental capacity to think beyond simply driving could gain an edge.
Tombazis sees this as nothing new. “Smart drivers already prevail. That has always been the case. In my early career, working with Schumacher, his edge wasn’t just talent. He could think about all sorts of other things while still driving flat out. That set him apart.”
He believes the same is true today: “Among the current drivers, some clearly have extra capacity to process things beyond just handling the car. Others need every ounce of concentration just to stay on the limit.” Of course Fernando Alonso springs to mind when racing to P3 in the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, there Spaniard questioned over team radio: “What position is Lance? Nice move into turn 1.”
Also had been watching the action on the big screens as he hurtled at close to 200mph alongside the concrete trust circuit style walls. While 2026 may demand more mental bandwidth than ever, Tombazis insists the essence of driving will not be lost. “The main skill will still be braking at the right time, carrying speed into corners, finding the limit, and choosing the right line,” he said. “That will continue to separate the good from the bad.”
Brembo says rear brake discs very small
That said F1 brake supplier Brembo came out this week and revealed the size of the rear discs will be very small, given most of the braking will e done by the rear axle in energy recovery mode.
The FIA hopes to finalise the balance in the coming months, ensuring that the new formula rewards intelligence without overwhelming drivers. “There’s a level of understanding they need to have,” Tombazis concluded. “That’s part of being a top driver. But we’ll make sure it never overshadows the fundamentals. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to drive the car myself!”
Whilst the chassis design and power unit specifications are locked in, the FIA has not finalised a number of criteria for how the cars will exactly be used. Push to pass will be circuit specific and drivers can use the electrical boost of power to defend as well as attack. Further, the cars will presumably have some kind of safety feature fitted which prevents the driver from switching to low downforce mode too early in a medium speed corner – which could lead to disaster.
Whilst these details are awaiting the FIA’s final decisions, the experiences the drivers are having in the simulators are broadly what they will find when they hit the asphalt for pre-season testing next January.
Bremabo lifts the lid on extreme brake changes for 2026
Coffee Coasters, Not Carbon Discs; Brembo Lifts Lid on F1 2026 Brake Shock – With the Formula One summer shutdown and the teams and drivers taking a break from their media duties, much of the focus of the F1 news cycle has been focused on the huge upcoming regulation changes for 2026. Most teams have completed the design cycle for any final upgrades which are to be added to this year’s racing machines, although some which are focused around mechanical grip and can be carried over to next year are yet to be complete.
Ferrari who have taken a step backwards from the performance their 2024 car had in the final quarter of the season have decided to plough on with further upgrades to the car in an effort to fix the suspension issues which have plagued Hamilton and Leclerc for most of the season. Having closed a gap of some 79 points to McLaren to just 14 over the final six race weekends, the Scuderia decided to build a completely new car design for 2026, despite it being the last year of the current set of car design regulations.
Adrian Newey observed that 2026 is a unique moment in F1 history given the design rules are changing not just for the power unit or the chassis, but for the first time both will be revolutionised at the same time. This has meant the teams have been forced to wait before designing significant elements of the new racing prototypes, with the rear axle and associated components playing a huge part in the harmonisation of power unit and chassis…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
