Eddie Jordan reveals what ‘senior designers’ are finding ‘difficult’ about 2026 F1 cars

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Formula 1 is set for another radical rules change in 2026 when they will adopt lighter and more powerful engines.

The ethos behind the new design is to improve the racing on track, which will happen with the new movable front and rear wings through active aerodynamics.

The drivers will be able to switch between ‘X-mode’ for low drag and ‘Z-mode’ for greater cornering speeds, although some teams including Red Bull have disputed whether this is the right direction to go down.

It is a significant change to how the cars are run on track, with the FIA also set to scrap the current Drag Reduction System that aids overtaking.

Getting an early head start on the regulations is tricky for teams as they have yet to fully sign off on the cars. Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan also mentioned another issue which is causing headaches for engineers behind the scenes when speaking on the Formula for Success podcast.

Biggest headache facing F1 car designers with 2026 rules

The changes to the cars in 2026 will be one of the most significant in the modern era of F1, with renders from the FIA released showing how different the cars will look visually when they arrive.

Jordan believes a lot of teams will now be starting to allocate resources to their 2026 cars, as the current regulations begin to become less relevant.

“The general consensus is, the senior designers at the moment are crawling all over these regulations because 26′ is so vitally important. But it’s difficult for a designer because there are so many other things outside that they’re controlled. The battery pack, the engine, the use of the various aspects. So they’re going to have their hands full with this adjustable aerodynamics on the front wing,” said Jordan.

“The front wing is so complicated in terms of the manufacturing of it and the structure. The designers are putting four guys in the place and say ‘Right, I want you to finish off 24′ with as many updates as you can do without breaking the nuts of the team, because we need to concentrate on this 26′ car.’

“Next year, there will not be much change in terms of how the cars look or how they’re actually going to perform. Because effectively whatever you had in 24, it’s going to be more of the same than 25.”

F1 2026 rules yet to be fully signed off

The rules for the 2026 F1 cars are still currently being ratified by the FIA and the teams, as the general consensus is that the cars fall short of what F1 needs from a performance point of view.

Kevin Magnussen has warned that F1 risks no longer being the pinnacle if it continues with the rules in their current form, which make the cars too fast on the straights and too slow in the corners.

READ MORE: Everything we know about F1’s 2026 regulation changes so far from engines to tyres

As of July 1st, any modifications to the rules now require support from the F1 Commission, in a process that means discussions must go through the formal routes of the Technical Advisory Committee.

The F1 Commission is set to meet next in October, where the latest draft will require a majority of support to see through any alterations. The hard deadline for teams is January when they are allowed to commence work on the cars.