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Formula 1 has revealed the new language that will be used to explain the technical complexities of its upcoming 2026 regulations.

The sport is introducing what is considered the biggest technical shift in its long history starting in 2026, featuring fresh chassis and power unit regulations and the mandatory use of eco-friendly fuels.

The revised engines, which maintain the hybrid V6 layout, boast a greatly enhanced energy storage, driving key advancements in the vehicles' aerodynamic design.

Throughout races, competitors will strategically manage battery power – including during qualifying laps – to secure the best result.

Extensive fan consultation were undertaken with a mix of viewers, including new, casual and core fans, to identify which terms would aid comprehension of the central aspects of the upcoming rules.

The primary aim was to make a range of advanced technical aspects of the competition as straightforward as possible for the broadest viewership.

Consequently, initial designations for certain devices – such as "x-mode and z-mode" for the moveable wings – have been abandoned in preference for descriptive names that succinctly convey the real-world effect of the technology.

What's the New Technology?

According to rule-makers that racers will have greater control to choose strategies regarding battery management, energy recovery, and conservation.

The new regulations feature a range of settings that will be visually displayed on television graphics to aid the viewers' comprehension of the strategic duel.

• Overtake Mode: This takes over from the current DRS. It provides a burst of extra electrical energy available when a driver is less than a second the car ahead to execute an overtaking maneuver.
• Power Mode: This is a driver-operated power boost from the hybrid system that can be deployed for attack or defence. It provides the driver peak output at the push of a button.

Both of these strategic tools will have to be used with calculation, as the total energy is strictly limited.

• Active Aerodynamics: Both the nose and rear wings adjust their angles – opening on the long straight sections for minimal air resistance and higher speed, and sealing in the corners for peak grip.
• Recharge: The system can recharge the energy store with regenerative braking, or during partial power application at the straight's end or in sections where only limited engine output is used.

Car Design Evolution

The next-generation machines will be reduced in size and weight than this year, with a wheelbase cut by 200mm to 3,400mm, width reduced by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the minimum weight decreased by 30kg.

Cumulative downforce is expected to drop by approximately a significant margin, although teams will inevitably claw this back as they refine their designs.

Air resistance has been slashed by 40%. The cars will employ moveable wing elements – front and rear wings will adjust on the straights to reduce drag and boost top speed and return into place for optimal grip in corners.

Tyres will continue to use 18-inch wheel rims, but the tyres themselves will be reduced in width, by 25 millimetres on the front axle and 30mm at the rear.

What's Changing in the Engines?

The new power units will have an approximate 50-50 split in horsepower generated by the ICE and the ERS, a rise from about 20% electrical in the current formula.

The energy recovery system is made less complex through the deletion of the complex turbo energy recovery device, the complicated and costly component that generated electricity from the turbocharger.

All vehicles will be mandated to operate on fully sustainable fuel, manufactured from plant-based materials or lab-created processes.