Everything we know about F1’s 2026 regulation changes from engines to tyres

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Formula 1 is preparing for its biggest shakeup in a decade, so here is everything that we know about the 2026 technical and engine regulation changes being introduced.

The pinnacle of motorsport will implement drastic modifications to its rulebook in 2026 with a new generation of cars. Not since F1 introduced the turbo-hybrid power units back in 2014 has the series made such vast changes in a bid to produce net-zero exhaust CO2 emissions.

F1 chiefs have vowed that the new power units will produce the same 1,000 horsepower as the current engines. But a greater proportion of the power will come from electrical means and use significantly less energy. F1 drivers will also see the return of a push-to-pass button.

So, with that in mind, F1 Oversteer has taken a look at everything that we know about what Formula 1 and the FIA have planned with the 2026 technical and engine regulation changes.

F1 2026 engine regulation changes

The power units produced under Formula 1’s planned 2026 engine regulations will produce 900 horsepower through electrical power alone. It is also likely that the overall horsepower will exceed the 1,000 figure that Renault were the first manufacturer to reach back in 2019.

The engine itself will remain the same 1.6 litre V6 turbo that has been used since 2014, although F1 intends to develop the existing engine regulations to increase the electrical output of all engines from 2026.

The power that the Kinetic Motor Generator Unit (MGU-K) creates will rise to around 350kW from the 120kW that the current MGU-K and MGU-H make together.

F1 2026 engine regulation changes: More electrical power, sustainable fuels and no MGU-H

Internal combustion engines (ICE) in the current power units also produce circa 550-560kw but the output will drop to around 400kw. F1 aims to modify the power dispersion partly by recouping more of the energy produced from braking, which is currently left to go to waste.

Additionally, the removal of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat (MGU-H) for a more powerful MGU-K will help to reduce the costs of a new F1 power unit. F1 will also limit the amount of time that manufacturers can dyno test the new engines and the use of expensive materials.

The greater electrical output will also see F1’s 2026 engines require less fuel with a target of just 70kg per Grand Prix. F1 will also introduce fully sustainable fuels from 2026 that will see no new fossil carbon burned. Carbon will come from non-food sources and municipal waste.

F1 2026 engine regulation changes: Push-to-pass button, Audi debut and Ford return

Drivers will also see the return of a push-to-pass overtake button like the KERS feature that Formula 1 used from 2009 to 2013. It will give drivers a brief power boost at a point of their choosing to defend, attack or gain lap time. But drivers must also manage the energy levels.

F1’s so far announced engine regulation changes have also tempted Audi to enter the series for the first time. Audi will be a power unit manufacturer and also a constructor after buying 100% of Sauber. Additionally, Ford will join forces with Red Bull to produce engines in 2026.

Also, the 2026 F1 engine regulation changes convinced Honda to return as a full power unit producer. The Japanese brand pulled the plug on its project in 2021 but agreed to continue supplying Red Bull through 2025. Aston Martin will also be a works Honda team from 2026.

F1 2026 chassis regulation changes

Formula 1 will improve on the chassis regulation changes it first introduced in 2022 with the 2026 rules. The series wants to further revise the ground effect rules brought in to improve the racing as the cars currently weigh too much, and also have too much overall downforce.

The notion is for the 2026 cars to carry a weight reduction of around 30kg, while also being shorter and narrower. F1 is also eager for the changes to reduce the cornering speeds that drivers can hit from 2026. The final details of F1’s chassis regulations are still to be ratified.

F1 2026 chassis regulation changes: Smaller cars, moveable aero and less weight

Teams cannot begin working on designing their 2026 cars until the start of 2025 to try and avoid any outfit gaining an early advantage. F1 is also working to close any loopholes in the regulation changes intended for 2026 to further limit the outwash made by the front wings.

One of the ways that Formula 1 has announced the technical regulations will change in 2026 is with the introduction of moveable aerodynamic surfaces. F1 will drop the Drag Reduction System (DRS) it first introduced in 2011 for a new mode that drivers can use on any straight, Which had previously been called the Manual Override Mode (MOM).

Following the end of the 2025 season, the FIA revealed a number of terminology changes, saying goodbye to MOM, as well as Z-mode high downforce setting and X-mode low downforce setting names.

The new terminology includes an Overtake Mode, which will have some similar regulations to the departing DRS. If a driver is within one second of the car ahead, then they can deploy extra power in an attempt to make the overtake.

The FIA and Formula 1 revealed that, instead of being used in specific zones like DRS, the new strategic tool can be used all at once or can be spread over the course of the lap to help a driver get ahead.

Boost Mode will be introduced in 2026, which will allow drivers to deploy energy from the Energy Recovery System (ERS) to attack or defend from other drivers, depending on their track position. The new mode will give drivers maximum power from the engine and battery by just pressing a button and will not be limited to specific parts of the track.

Active Aero has also been announced by the FIA ahead of the 2026 season, which will enable dynamic adjustment of the angles of a car’s front and rear wings during specific high-speed sections. The feature will see drivers be able to maximise the usage of their car’s power by increasing on-track grip.

Additionally, F1’s 2026 chassis regulation changes will cut the size of the cars down from the current maximum wheelbase of 3600mm to 3400mm. The width of F1’s 2026 cars will even shrink from 2000mm to 1900mm and Pirelli will also have to produce smaller tyres in 2026.

The FIA also approved further modifications to F1’s 2026 regulations in December 2024 with wheel fairings, brake ducts, floor vanes and skid blocks reviewed. The size of a skid block on an F1 car will reduce from 2026, when a reshaped floor vane can be made as two elements.

Brake ducts will also change in 2026 with the front brake ducts set to boast horizontal vanes and rear brake ducts featuring lower-placed vanes. The re-introduction of wheel fairings on tyres will force all Formula 1 teams to leave the central part open to show the wheel inside.

Formula 1 has confirmed that smaller tyres are one of the ways that it will make cars smaller and lighter with the 2026 regulations. Pirelli will have to produce front tyres that are 25mm smaller and rear tyres that are 30mm narrower compared to the current generation of cars.

Altogether, the changes that F1 and the FIA will make with the 2026 regulations will trim the minimum weight of the car down to 768kg. The FIA also believes the changes will lower the amount of downforce compared to the current generation car by 30% and the drag by 55%.