How active aerodynamics will work in 2026 Formula 1 cars

As part of the 2026 regulations, the FIA ​​is working to introduce active aerodynamics system. This removable system is found on both the front and rear spoiler and would logically go hand in hand with disappearance of DRSwhich is outdated.

In particular, the front wing will have two active flaps and the rear will consist of three elements. The two spoilers will work together rather than separately: the goal is to ensure there is no imbalance between the front and rear, regardless of the configuration used.

F1 2026 cars have two modes of active aerodynamics:

• “Z” mode: This will be the “standard” high downforce position that will be used in corners.
• “X” mode: This is a low downforce position that will be used on a straight line.

Nowadays, DRS, designed to make overtaking easier, serves the function of reducing aerodynamic drag by allowing a following car to lower the top wing of the rear wing in less than a second at certain sections of the track. However, the use of the different modes in the 2026 rules will be different, since there will be no condition of being less than a second from another car: all drivers will be free to activate “Mode X” or not. ‘ in places where this will be permitted.

“The difference between DRS on the current car and the 2026 project comes down to how it is used during the lap,” he explains. Jason Somerville, Head of Aerodynamics at the FIA. “Normally, DRS is an overtaking assist system, and you activate it when you are less than a second behind the car in front of you at a certain point.”

“With the 2026 car, drivers will have the ability to switch between high downforce mode and low drag mode, regardless of the difference to what’s ahead. Thus, from predetermined points on the track, the driver can switch to low downforce mode for work on the straights, where grip will not be a problem. Then, as you approach the braking zone, it switches back to high downforce mode.”

“Each car will be able to switch from one mode to another, which will require moving the rear wing and adjusting the front wing, and any car following it will be able to do the same. This is an active system controlled by the driver. , although as today, it will have a signal indicating when the “low resistance” mode can be activated. The system will then return to high resistance mode, either under pilot control or pressure. breaks.”

The zones in which this mode operates “during a lap, and riders will be able to switch from one mode to another when they are allowed to do so,” Somerville summarizes. “There may be sporting regulations that prohibit its use in wet weather, for example, but otherwise we expect drivers to have access to both modes on every lap.”