F1 2026 regulations: FIA plans smaller, nimbler and more environmentally friendly cars – BBC Sport

The FIA’s announcement on Thursday, on the eve of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, is the first confirmation of the 2026 chassis rules – the changes to the engines have been known for two years.

The new regulations governing cars include:

There has been criticism that the introduction of active aerodynamics as a fundamental operating characteristic of the car is unnecessarily complex.

But they have been employed because the drag of the cars needed to be reduced and braking distances increased so sufficient energy could be recovered during braking to supply the much greater electrical capacity of the power unit.

FIA single-seater technical director Jan Monchaux said: “The DRS on the rear wing will not be used to facilitate overtaking any more. It will be used by default on every straight by every car to drop drag levels, because this comes with some strong benefits for energy consumption.

“But also having higher top speed allows you to recover more [energy] when you’re braking at the end of the straight.”

On the new overtaking boost system, Monchaux said drivers would be allowed to use more electrical energy than their opponent if they were within a given distance of the car in front before the end of a lap.

The moveable aerodynamics have been required because the new engines are less efficient than the existing ones as a result of the removal for 2026 of the expensive and complex Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H) – a part of the hybrid system that recovers energy from the turbocharger.

Without the MGU-H, other means were needed to recover sufficient energy for the increased electrical power from the engine – which is being raised from 120kW to 350kW.

Head of aerodynamics Jason Somerville said the FIA had turned to moveable aerodynamics to reduce drag because otherwise the cars would have “experienced a severe drop in speed at the end of the typical main straights”.

Other than the removal of the MGU-H, the engines will be similar to the existing ones – 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids.

A key change is the introduction of a 100% sustainable fuel.

When they burn, these fuels only put back into the atmosphere the carbon dioxide that was taken out of it to make them in the first place.

A study by Prof Felix Leach at Oxford University, funded by F1, found these fuels can achieve a reduction in life-cycle CO2 emissions of greater than 90% compared with fossil fuels.

These fuels can be used in almost any internal combustion engine.

The FIA is introducing an assurance scheme to “check the source of all the components used by fuel suppliers to produce the sustainable fuels” to ensure their credibility.

F1 chairman Stefano Domenicali said: “The new sustainably fuelled hybrid power unit presents a huge opportunity for the global automotive industry. The drop-in fuel has the potential to be used by cars around the world and dramatically cut emissions.”