Overtake Mode & Active Aero - Explaining F1's Updated Regulatory Language

Formula 1 has unveiled the simplified vocabulary that will be used to describe the advanced features of its upcoming 2026 technical rules.

The racing series is implementing what is potentially the most significant technical shift in its long history starting in 2026, featuring revised car and engine specifications and the required adoption of eco-friendly fuels.

The updated 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids, which keep the 1.6-litre V6 configuration, boast a greatly enhanced energy storage, requiring major innovations in the vehicles' aerodynamic design.

Throughout races, drivers will tactically deploy electrical energy – including during qualifying laps – to extract the peak result.

Extensive fan consultation were undertaken with a mix of viewers, including dedicated enthusiasts and casual observers, to identify which terms would improve understanding of the key features of the new regulations.

The primary aim was to present a series of complex new areas of the racing as easy to grasp as possible for the global fanbase.

Consequently, older technical labels for some systems – such as "modes labelled X and Z" for the moveable wings – have been discarded in preference for straightforward terms that directly explain the actual function of the technology.

Key Technical Innovations

The FIA states that drivers will have more power to choose strategies regarding energy deployment, regeneration, and efficiency.

The 2026 rules feature a series of modes that will be shown on broadcast screens to improve the viewers' comprehension of the race battle.

• Overtake Mode: This replaces the current DRS. It provides a short boost of battery power accessible when a driver is less than a second the car ahead to assist with an overtaking maneuver.
• Power Mode: This is a driver-operated power boost from the ERS that can be deployed for offensive or defensive moves. It grants the pilot 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 restricted.

• Active Aerodynamics: Both the nose and rear wings change configuration – flattening on the long straight sections for reduced drag and increased velocity, and closing in the bends for peak grip.
• Recharge: Cars can harvest energy with regenerative braking, or during partial power application at the end of straights or in certain corners where only limited engine output is used.

2026 Car Specifications

The 2026 cars will be smaller and lighter relative to current models, with a distance between axles cut by 200mm to 3,400mm, car width cut by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the lowest permissible weight lowered 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.

Drag has been slashed by 40%. The cars will feature adjustable aero systems – front and rear wings will open on the straight sections to cut resistance and increase straightline speed and click back into place for peak handling.

Pirelli tyres will retain 18-inch rims, but the rubber compounds will be slimmer, by 25mm at the front and three centimetres on the rear.

What's Changing in the Engines?

The 2026 engines will have an roughly half-and-half distribution in energy output by the ICE and the ERS, up from about 20% battery contribution under present rules.

The ERS setup is made less complex through the deletion of the MGU-H, the sophisticated and pricey unit that generated electricity from the turbocharger.

All vehicles will be obliged to compete on 100% sustainable fuel, manufactured from organic sources or synthetic production methods.