Formula 1 is taking a new stance towards its cars with the new 2026 regulations.

On June 6th, 2024 the new regulations that will apply with the start of the 2026 season were announced by Formula 1 and FIA's official social media accounts. It featured an introduction video with numerous angles of the new automobile and summed explanations for the new regulations.

So, what's changing anyway? Well, almost everything. From aerodynamics to the chassis, from the wheel sizes to the modes the drivers will have to utilize to battle other drivers on track, so much has been reconsidered for the 2026 season and forth.

Chassis rules were reconsidered, creating a new stance to solve the problems of the current vehicles -which are ground-effect-. Since today's Formula 1 automobiles are so heavy and so reliant on ride height, they're very vulnerable to dirty air and tend to fail when exposed to it. This limits their capability of following one another on track and hinders on-track battles.

The new cars are going to be smaller and lighter with a loss of 30 kilograms. The new aerodynamic structure will restrict the manipulation of the cars further and encourage equality in team performances. New tyre rules which keeps the 18-inch wheels but cuts down on its width, helping reduce weight.

Another change is the new active aerodynamics system. With movable front and rear wings, the aerodynamics of the car will be almost entirely dependent on the driver itself. X-mode which angles the front and rear wings straight for a higher top speed in straight lines and Z-mode which angles the wings for a higher downforce and faster cornering speeds.

The engines are also going to have their share of changes, as the power intake from the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) will be reduced drastically, and instead, the power will be gained from the battery itself. MGU-H will also be removed which will simplify the power units of these cars, and this will reflect on the automobile market as these power units will be the closest to those in generic automobiles -thus increasing car brands' interest in entering the racing series-.

A Manual override mode will also be introduced, which will give an energy boost to the following automobile, thus encouraging closer racing.

The fuel that these cars use has also been reconsidered and Formula 1 will switch to a fully sustainable fuel, which is a huge leap for Formula 1 as they are aiming for Net Zero Carbon emission by 2030.

These changes that simplify the cars overall and promote closer racing have caught the interest of many car brands and the dawn of new constructors and manufacturers entering the sport is near.