The Hidden Risk Monaco Faces Despite Formula 1’s Active Aero Changes – The 2026 Formula 1 regulations were designed to enhance the racing experience by replacing DRS with a more advanced energy deployment system, along with active aero.
These active aerodynamics will still play a significant role in all but one of the races, as the ‘straight-line mode’, which was designed to reduce drag and improve energy efficiency, will no longer be used to assist with overtaking in the same way that the DRS system was used. And for the Monaco Grand Prix, the active aero will be banned entirely.
While many expect Monaco to remain largely unchanged in terms of overtaking (or lack thereof), the new regulations could introduce a different danger: sudden power surges from Overtake Mode on one of the narrowest circuits in motorsport. In spite of the removal of active aero, the race will still feature overtake engine modes with a significant power boost available to the driver.
Ahead of Monaco, the focus of discussion has largely been on the removal of the traditional overtaking mechanism. Yet the real story may lie elsewhere. Formula 1’s new energy deployment system gives drivers access to a powerful tool that could cause unpredictable speed differences at crucial points around the circuit.
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DRS is gone, but the overtake button remains
One aspect of the 2026 regulations is the difference between standard battery deployment and Overtake Mode.
Every driver can deploy electrical energy as part of normal race operations. This is effectively the modern equivalent of managing hybrid power throughout a lap. Overtake Mode, however, is a separate logic state that becomes available when a chasing car is running within a prescribed distance of the car ahead.
Rather than simply opening a rear wing to reduce drag, the new system modifies the delivery of electrical energy. The attacking driver receives access to additional deployment opportunities and a different power curve designed specifically to facilitate overtaking.
This marks a shift in Formula 1, moving away from aerodynamic-assisted passing and towards energy-assisted passing. Already, F1 has seen some accidents and high speed near misses where cars battling or following one another have significantly different power from their hybrid systems. In Monaco, this may well produce a perfect storm situation and a very large accident.
The ‘Taper Delta’ That Could Define Battles
The most important technical feature is what engineers have dubbed the deployment taper. According to the regulations, the defending car’s electrical deployment begins to reduce once it reaches approximately 290 km/h. As the speed increases, the available electrical assistance gradually decreases until it reaches zero at the upper threshold.
The chasing car’s profile is completely different when Overtake Mode is activated. Rather than tapering immediately, it can continue to deploy the full electrical output for a significantly longer period.
The result is more than just a slipstream effect. The attacking driver can access hundreds of additional horsepower during a specific acceleration window.
In practical terms, overtaking is achieved through a temporary power advantage rather than a reduction in aerodynamic drag. Couple this will the defending car potentially harvesting energy aggressively, and therefore braking far earlier, collision potential will increase dramatically.
Why Monaco Changes the Equation
At first glance, Monaco appears unsuited to this concept. The circuit lacks the long straights required to exploit the deployment system’s highest-speed elements. Cars rarely reach the velocity thresholds that dominate discussions of Overtake Mode elsewhere on the calendar.
This has led some observers to conclude that the system will have little impact around Monte Carlo.
The reality may be very different, however.
The regulations also permit an attacking driver to use extra energy during a lap when Overtake Mode is active. In Monaco, where acceleration zones are short and traction is paramount, this extra electrical deployment could be crucial.
When exiting corners such as Portier, the Swimming Pool complex or Rascasse, a driver can suddenly unleash additional torque while a rival ahead is simultaneously trying to recover energy through harvesting.
While the speed differential may only last a few seconds, on Monaco’s narrow streets this could be enough to force two cars to approach a braking zone side-by-side in a very unconventional way not seen before in modern times.
Is this an accident waiting to happen?
Monaco has always punished even the slightest misjudgement. The combination of close walls, limited visibility and extremely narrow racing lines leaves little margin for error. The introduction of a system capable of generating sudden acceleration advantages introduces a new variable that drivers and teams must learn to manage.
Unlike DRS, which generally produced predictable overtaking attempts at designated locations, Overtake Mode can influence acceleration almost anywhere on the circuit. The timing of deployment, battery state and harvesting strategy can vary significantly from car to car.
This raises the possibility of unexpected closing speeds in places where drivers would not historically anticipate them.
Ironically, Formula 1’s efforts to move away from artificial aerodynamic overtaking aids could create an entirely different challenge. While Monaco may not see a dramatic increase in overtaking under the new rules, it could witness more aggressive attempts as drivers exploit brief windows of electrical superiority.
For a circuit that is already operating at full capacity in terms of physical space, this prospect could make the Monaco Grand Prix one of the most fascinating — and potentially dangerous — tests of the new Formula 1 era.
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Craig.J. Alderson is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Craig oversees newsroom operations and coordinates editorial output across the site. With a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing, he plays a key role in maintaining consistency, speed, and accuracy in TJ13’s coverage.
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