Skip to content
ContentLora

    Tip: press / anywhere to search.

    Explainer

    F1's 2026 rules explained: power units, active aero and new teams

    Formula 1's 2026 rules brought smaller, lighter cars, a power unit that splits power about evenly between combustion and electricity, and fully sustainable fuel.[1][2][3] DRS was replaced by movable wings and an electric "overtake mode".[4][5] Audi arrived as a works team and Cadillac as the grid's 11th team.[6][7]

    Editor reviewedUpdated ExplainerSports

    Formula 1 changed its technical rules for 2026, and the changes explain much of this season’s competitive order. The FIA set out lighter cars, a new hybrid power unit with far more electric power, sustainable fuel and movable wings.[1] This page explains each change, first in plain terms and then in more detail.

    The power unit: half electric

    An F1 car is powered by a small petrol engine plus an electric motor fed by a battery. In 2026 the electric part became much stronger and the engine part weaker, so the two are now roughly equal.[1] The cars recover energy when they brake. The new rules double how much they can recover each lap.[8] The fuel is now fully sustainable.[3]

    Combustion-engine output fell from 550-560 kW to 400 kW. Electrical output from the MGU-K rose from 120 kW to 350 kW, almost a 300% increase.[2] Recoverable braking energy doubled to about 8.5 MJ per lap.[8] The MGU-H was deleted. ESPN described it as costly and complex, and a barrier to new manufacturers.[9] Six manufacturers committed to the rules: Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault stayed, Honda returned, Audi joined, and Ford partnered Red Bull Powertrains.[10]

    Smaller, lighter cars

    The 2026 cars are shorter, narrower and lighter than before, which is meant to make them more agile in close racing.[1][11]

    Maximum wheelbase fell by 200 mm to 3,400 mm and width by 100 mm to 1,900 mm. The FIA said downforce was cut by 30% and drag by 55%.[11] ESPN put the new minimum-weight target at 770 kg, a 30 kg reduction. It noted that the power unit’s own minimum weight rose by 34 kg, which makes the target harder to hit.[12]

    Active aerodynamics and the end of DRS

    From 2011 to 2025, a chasing driver could open a flap in the rear wing, called DRS, to go faster on straights.[13] In 2026 every car can flatten its front and rear wings in marked zones on every lap. That saves energy on straights but does not help one driver pass another.[4] Overtaking help now comes from extra electric power instead.[5]

    Straight-line mode is driver-activated in FIA-designated zones marked “SM” and is open to all drivers on every lap.[4] Overtake mode is earned by being within one second of the car ahead at a detection point. It can then be used anywhere on the lap. Without it, electric deployment tapers from 290 km/h to zero at 355 km/h. With it, the full 350 kW is available up to 337 km/h.[5] Boost mode lets any driver call up the full 350 kW at the press of a button, below the 290 km/h taper point.[14]

    New teams: Audi and Cadillac

    Audi announced in 2022 that it would build power units for 2026. It then bought Sauber, which became the first Audi works team, based in Hinwil, Switzerland, and led by Mattia Binotto.[6] After the Singapore Sprint, Audi was eighth in the constructors’ standings with 19 points. Its best race finish so far is eighth.[15]

    On 7 March 2025, the FIA and Formula One Management confirmed Cadillac as the 11th team from 2026. The team is backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors.[7] It races with Ferrari power units, and GM is due to supply its own from 2029.[16] Its drivers, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, have 16 Grand Prix wins between them.[17] Cadillac had not scored a point after 16 Grands Prix.[18] With 11 teams, the grid now has 22 cars.[19]

    How the rules have played out

    Mercedes has led the first season under these rules. Its drivers held first and second in the drivers’ standings, and the team led the constructors’ table, as of 11 October 2026.[20][21] Follow the results in the F1 2026 season tracker.

    Next in the crash course

    Questions readers ask

    What changed in F1 in 2026?

    The FIA's 2026 rules made cars 30 kg lighter, introduced a power unit with an even split between combustion and electric power using advanced sustainable fuels, and added active aerodynamics with movable front and rear wings.[1]

    How much electric power do 2026 F1 cars have?

    Electrical power rose from 120 kW to 350 kW, while combustion-engine power fell from 550-560 kW to 400 kW.[2]

    Is DRS gone in 2026?

    Yes. DRS was used from 2011 to 2025. It was replaced by overtake mode, which gives a car within one second of the car ahead extra electric deployment at high speed.[13][5]

    What is straight-line mode?

    A low-drag wing setting any driver can use in FIA-designated zones on every lap. Because everyone can use it, it is not an overtaking aid.[4]

    Which new teams joined F1 in 2026?

    Cadillac joined as the 11th team, backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors. Audi took over Sauber, which became the first Audi works team.[7][6]

    Who supplies Cadillac's engines?

    Ferrari supplies Cadillac in 2026. General Motors is due to debut its own power unit from 2029.[16]

    Sources

    · 21 claims from 4 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      The FIA's 2026 regulations, unveiled in June 2024, specified cars 30 kg lighter, a power unit with an even split between combustion and electric power using advanced sustainable fuels, and active aerodynamics with movable front and rear wings. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    2. [2]

      Under the 2026 power unit rules, power from the combustion engine fell from 550-560 kW to 400 kW while electrical power rose from 120 kW to 350 kW. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    3. [3]

      From 2026, every F1 car runs on fully sustainable fuel, according to Formula 1. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    4. [4]

      In 2026, a low-drag "straight-line mode" can be activated by any driver in FIA-designated zones on every lap, so it is not an overtaking aid despite looking like DRS. confirmedas of 2026-03-05

    5. [5]

      Overtake mode replaced DRS in 2026; a driver within one second of the car ahead at a detection point can keep full 350 kW electric deployment up to 337 km/h, while a car without it sees deployment taper from 290 km/h to zero at 355 km/h. confirmedas of 2026-03-05

    6. [6]

      Audi announced in 2022 that it would become an F1 power unit supplier for 2026 and acquired the Sauber team, which became the first Audi works team; it is based in Hinwil, Switzerland, and led by Mattia Binotto. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    7. [7]

      On 7 March 2025 the FIA and Formula One Management confirmed that the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors, would join the existing 10 teams as the 11th team from 2026. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    8. [8]

      The 2026 rules double the energy that can be recovered under braking to about 8.5 MJ per lap. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      The 2026 power units drop the MGU-H, a costly and complex component that ESPN described as a barrier to entry for new manufacturers. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    10. [10]

      Six power unit manufacturers committed to the 2026 rules - Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault staying, Honda returning, Audi joining for the first time, and Ford partnering Red Bull Powertrains. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    11. [11]

      The 2026 rules cut the maximum wheelbase by 200 mm to 3,400 mm and car width by 100 mm to 1,900 mm; the FIA said downforce was reduced by 30% and drag by 55%. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    12. [12]

      ESPN reported the 2026 minimum weight target as 770 kg, a 30 kg reduction, while noting that the power unit's minimum weight rose by 34 kg. reportedas of 2026-03-05

    13. [13]

      DRS was used in F1 for 15 seasons, from 2011 to 2025. confirmedas of 2026-03-05

    14. [14]

      Boost mode lets any driver deploy the full 350 kW from the MGU-K at the press of a button, up to the point where power tapers above 290 km/h. confirmedas of 2026-03-05

    15. [15]

      As of the Singapore Sprint, Audi was eighth in the 2026 constructors' standings with 19 points, with a best race finish of eighth and no podiums; its drivers are Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    16. [16]

      Cadillac races with Ferrari power units in 2026, and General Motors is due to debut its own F1 power unit from 2029. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    17. [17]

      Cadillac's 2026 drivers are Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, who between them have 16 Grand Prix wins and more than 500 starts; the team is based at Silverstone. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    18. [18]

      After 16 Grands Prix and six Sprints in 2026, Cadillac had scored no points, with a best race finish of 13th and 13 DNFs. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    19. [19]

      The 2026 grid has 22 cars, with F1 TV offering onboard cameras on all of them. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    20. [20]

      After the Singapore Sprint on 10 October 2026, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) led the drivers' championship on 325 points, ahead of George Russell (Mercedes) on 236, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) on 221, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) on 197, Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) on 196 and Lando Norris (McLaren) on 189. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    21. [21]

      After the Singapore Sprint, Mercedes led the constructors' championship on 561 points, ahead of Ferrari (418), McLaren (317), Red Bull Racing (306) and Racing Bulls (94); Audi had 19 points and Cadillac had none. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Jan 11, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "F1's 2026 rules explained: power units, active aero and new teams." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/explain/f1-2026-rules-explained

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

    ☰ Contents