Overtake Mode & Active Aero - Explaining F1's Updated Technical Jargon
The 2026 cars are designed to be more compact, agile and eco-conscious than this year.
F1 has revealed the new vocabulary that will be used to explain the advanced features of its revolutionary 2026 rulebook.
The sport is embarking on what is potentially the biggest rules overhaul in its long history starting in 2026, featuring revised car and engine specifications and the required adoption of fully sustainable fuels.
The updated 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids, which keep the 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid, boast a substantially higher electrical capacity, necessitating significant developments in the vehicles' aerodynamic design.
During grand prix events, drivers will strategically manage electrical energy – including during hot laps – to secure the optimal performance.
Broad surveys were undertaken with a mix of viewers, including long-time followers and newcomers, to understand which terminology would aid comprehension of the key features of the upcoming rules.
The primary aim was to make a series of complex new areas of the competition as straightforward as possible for the global fanbase.
Consequently, older technical labels for some systems – such as "modes labelled X and Z" for the active aerodynamics – have been discarded in preference for straightforward terms that directly explain the actual function of the innovation.
What's the New Technology?
Regulators explain that competitors will have increased agency to determine tactics regarding energy deployment, harvesting, and conservation.
The 2026 rules introduce a set of functions that will be shown on TV overlays to improve the viewers' comprehension of the race battle.
- Overtake Mode: This supersedes the existing Drag Reduction System. It provides a burst of extra electrical energy available when a driver is less than a second the leading car to facilitate an overtaking maneuver.
- Extra Push Mode: This is a driver-operated power boost from the energy recovery system that can be used in attack or defence. It delivers the driver peak output at the push of a button.
Both of these crucial modes will have to be managed carefully, as the overall battery capacity is capped.
- Adjustable Aero: Both the car's wings adjust their angles – opening on the straights for minimal air resistance and top speed, and sealing in the turns for peak grip.
- Recharge: The system can replenish their battery with power recovered from braking, or during partial power application at the end of straights or in corners where only partial power is used.
Car Design Evolution
The next-generation machines will be smaller and lighter than this year, with a wheelbase shortened by 200mm to 3,400mm, car width cut by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the minimum weight lowered by 30kg.
Total aerodynamic grip is expected to drop by approximately 15-30%, although teams will naturally regain performance as they optimize their packages.
Aerodynamic drag has been reduced by 40%. The vehicles will feature moveable wing elements – front and rear wings will move on the straight sections to reduce drag and enhance velocity and return into place for maximum cornering performance.
Wheels will retain the current rim size, but the tyres themselves will be reduced in width, by 25mm at the front and three centimetres on the rear.
Power Unit Revolution
The revised hybrid units will have an approximate 50-50 split in energy output by the petrol engine and the ERS, up from about 20% battery contribution in the current formula.
The energy recovery system is streamlined through the removal of the complex turbo energy recovery device, the intricate and expensive device that recovered energy from the turbo.
All vehicles will be mandated to operate on carbon-neutral fuel, manufactured from plant-based materials or synthetic production methods.
