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F1 has revealed the simplified vocabulary that will be used to reference the advanced features of its revolutionary 2026 rulebook.

The championship is embarking on what is potentially the biggest technical shift in its long history for the 2026 campaign, featuring revised car and engine specifications and the required adoption of fully sustainable fuels.

The updated 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrids, which retain the hybrid V6 layout, boast a substantially higher battery power, necessitating key advancements in the cars' aerodynamics.

Over a race distance, pilots will carefully oversee electrical energy – potentially on qualifying laps – to achieve the best lap time.

Broad surveys were undertaken with a mix of viewers, including dedicated enthusiasts and casual observers, to identify which terminology would aid comprehension of the key features of the 2026 changes.

The key objective was to present a range of advanced new areas of the competition as accessible as possible for the broadest viewership.

Consequently, older technical labels for some systems – such as "x-mode and z-mode" for the moveable wings – have been abandoned in favour of descriptive names that directly explain the real-world effect of the technology.

What's the New Technology?

According to rule-makers that drivers will have increased agency to make decisions regarding battery management, regeneration, and saving energy.

The new regulations feature a series of modes that will be clearly indicated on television graphics to enhance the audience's understanding of the strategic duel.

• Attack Mode: This takes over from the existing Drag Reduction System. It provides a short boost of battery power available when a car is less than a second the leading car to execute an overtake.
• Extra Push Mode: This is a manual battery discharge from the energy recovery system that can be deployed for offensive or defensive moves. It delivers the pilot full engine and battery energy at the click of a switch.

Both of these crucial modes will have to be used with calculation, as the available electrical charge is strictly limited.

• Active Aerodynamics: Both the car's wings change configuration – opening on the high-speed sections for low aerodynamic resistance and increased velocity, and closing in the corners for maximum downforce.
• Energy Harvesting: Cars can replenish their battery with energy harvested under braking, or during partial power application at the end of straights or in certain corners where only limited engine output is applied.

2026 Car Specifications

The next-generation machines will be reduced in size and weight compared to the 2025 spec, with a distance between axles reduced by 200mm to 3,400mm, overall width reduced by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the car weight lowered by 30kg.

Total aerodynamic grip is projected to decrease by approximately fifteen to thirty percent, although constructors will inevitably claw this back as they optimize their packages.

Drag has been reduced by 40%. The cars will employ adjustable aero systems – front and rear wings will move on the straight sections to reduce drag and increase straightline speed and click back into place for optimal grip in corners.

Pirelli tyres will retain 18-inch rims, but the rubber compounds will be reduced in width, by a quarter-centimetre on the front and 30 millimetres on the rear axle.

2026 Engine Regulations

The new power units will have an near-equal balance in power produced by the ICE and the electrical system, up from about 20% electrical under present rules.

The hybrid system is simplified through the deletion of the complex turbo energy recovery device, the intricate and expensive device that recovered energy from the exhaust turbo.

Every car on the grid will be mandated to operate on carbon-neutral fuel, manufactured from organic sources or lab-created processes.