F1 2026 Car - risk foiled: performance similar to 2022: 

— The 2026 regulation changes, initially feared to slow cars significantly, have been adjusted to ensure performance remains close to 2022 levels, with only a 15% reduction in downforce expected.

“As of now, the high-load mode projects values about 15% lower than the current ones,” Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport head, explained. 

“How reliable this data is will have to be verified.”

— Changes include an enlarged diffuser, an extended ramp, and a widened front wing, recovering approximately 50 load points and mitigating a potential 40% downforce reduction.

“If the teams really started 2026 with 15% less load than today, then more or less on the levels of 2022, it means that then they would recover it. With such an important regulatory change at the beginning, the development curve is very fast,” Isola added.

— Cars will also benefit from a 30 kg weight reduction, softer suspensions, and improved mechanical grip, enhancing agility in slower sections without significant trade-offs in straight-line speed.

— Improved aerodynamic wake cleanliness is expected to facilitate closer racing, addressing issues that emerged since the 2022 regulations.

“In terms of trail cleaning and ease of pursuit, the car will be good. We will probably be in a better situation than the current one, going back a little to how it was at the dawn of this technical cycle in 2022,” Tim Goss, Racing Bulls CTO, stated.

— New overtaking aids will provide an additional 70 horsepower from the electric power unit at 300 km/h, reaching up to 200 extra horsepower at 320 km/h. These changes, however, raise concerns about overtaking becoming too reliant on speed differentials.

— The FIA plans to monitor the impact of these changes and intervene if necessary to maintain fair and competitive racing dynamics.

#formula1 #f12026

VIA: [formulapassion]