Will the F1 cars finally be able to follow each other closely in 2026?

Air has always been public enemy number one in Formula 1Although engineers learned to tame it as early as the 1960s with the appearance of the first wings, the quest for downforce and speed has continued to become more complex.

In an effort to optimize performance, engineers developed floors that drew air in from below to keep the car glued to the ground. So much so that from 2022 to 2025, the ground effect was pushed to the extreme, with the porpoising of this generation of F1 cars causing back pain for the drivers without solving the sport's major problem: the difficulty of following each other closely due to excessively disrupted wakes.

Because while new regulations generally bear fruit at the beginning, the aerodynamic development brought about by the teams always finds a way to circumvent the spirit of the rules in favor of pure performance, inevitably bringing any improvement back to square one.

The problem of dirty air in F1

The major challenge in modern F1 lies in the highly turbulent airflow expelled from the rear of the cars, preventing the pursuer from generating enough downforce to overtake. While it's physically impossible to completely eliminate this dirty airflow, it can be managed. As part of the regulation changes introduced by F1 in 2026, the cars have therefore been redesigned to improve close-quarters racing and allow for more on-track overtaking, with a greater emphasis placed on the wings and the removal of underbody tunnels to optimize this airflow.

To remedy this, the FIA ​​is changing the aerodynamics of the cars to force the air to remain clean around the carThus, the front wing of F1 cars becomes narrower and lateral endplates (see photo) are placed inwards in order to force air to pass inside the front wheels. This is what is called the " Inwash keeping the turbulence close to the car and leaving calmer air on the sides for anyone trying to follow or overtake.

Photo credits: © DPPI

The drivers' opinions on the 2026 F1 cars

However, initial pre-season impressions have left the drivers skeptical, as they prefer to wait for the verdict from the track before making a judgment. When I was in Barcelona, ​​I was riding behind someone and the feeling wasn't great. told Lewis Hamilton during the Bahrain tests. Last week, however, it was okay. But I think it's the kind of thing we won't really know until we're thrown into the thick of it during the first race. »

A view shared by Gabriel Bortoleto. Since I haven't had much track time yet, I don't really know. But to be honest, every time we're following another car, it doesn't look great. the Brazilian emphasizes. We don't feel like we can get much closer than last year. And you never know with this energy situation this year. We might overuse [the boost]. It's complicated, but we'll see. »

Energy management in F1 in 2026

Indeed, energy management will also play a crucial role in the pilots' ability to launch attacks. DRS is now replaced by overdrive mode, allowing for an additional 0,5 MJ (megajoules) of charging and electrical power, thus increasing speed.

The regulations now limit the energy deployment of the leading car above 290 km/h, while the pursuer can use full power (350 kW) up to 337 km/h. To defend itself, the leader will have the " Boost ", provided that the battery has been sufficiently regenerated via the Recharge mode during braking or " lift and coast ", or even in " super clipping " – when energy is recovered at the end of the straight while the car is still at full throttle.

The elements are extremely sophisticated, even overly complex according to the seven-time world champion, who joked in Bahrain that you needed a degree to understand them all. In any case, the true verdict on the 2026 F1 cars will be delivered at the season opener in Melbourne, Australia, on March 8th. In the meantime, it seems that the drivers' initial impressions don't suggest a radical change in the pursuit. It remains to be seen whether overtaking will increase. Significant pace differences will be crucial in this regard.

ALSO READ > "Why this panic?": F1 takes a measured approach to driver criticism