Introduction
Formula 1 is one of the most technologically advanced sports, with all the cars constantly improving each year. Specific years gone by, however, have seen particular rule and regulation changes regarding all the cars as ways to improve the sustainability, reliability, speed, and competitiveness of the sport, with the most recent changes in 2022 primarily focussing on keeping the racing between all ten teams as close as possible. Formula 1 has announced the next big year of changes to the sport, with these changes occurring at the start of the 2026 season. This post will discuss the upcoming changes for Formula 1 and how these may impact the sport, the teams, and the fans.
What is Changing
From the start of the 2026 season, the key change is in relation to the power unit, with the introduction of new, fully sustainable fuels alongside tweaks in terms of the turbo-hybrid engines, which includes the removal of the MGU-H, which is seen on the current Formula 1 car. In addition to these changes, another focus has been on the weight of the car, with the current cars being described as ‘too heavy,’ resulting in a decrease in responsiveness and impacting the life of the tyres during races. Therefore, decreasing the size of the car is the way that 2026 is going to try to solve the problems that are being seen now. This includes a decrease in wheelbase size, along with making the cars slightly narrower. Doing this will hopefully reduce the weight by 40 or 50 kilograms, improving the problems drivers are facing during Grand Prix weekends. In addition to this, reducing downforce is the other aim for Formula 1 to decrease the weight of the cars for 2026, as teams would, therefore, not have to create as heavy and bulky parts as they currently have on this generation of cars. With the decrease in downforce for the 2026 season, this is also an attempt to improve on the focus of ‘close following’ between cars during races, along with a reduction in drag. This change will help close the current loopholes that certain teams have been able to take advantage of within the regulations, which has resulted in cars still being impacted when following another close behind. So, these changes are seen as the way forward in finally creating a close following for cars and better racing overall.
Impact on Fans and the Sport
Regarding the Fans of Formula 1, the future 2026 season has introduced these new regulations to create a closer, more entertaining spectacle throughout a Grand Prix weekend for fans to engage with. This will create a more emotional connection between the fan and the sport, as with more intense battles between teams and drivers throughout a season, the more fans will want to engage and show passion towards their favourite driver or team. In relation to the Sport itself, providing these fans with closer, more entertaining racing will increase viewers and attract new fans to the sport, creating more awareness for Formula 1 across the globe. In addition, Formula 1 will be seen as a more environmentally friendly sport than it was before, with 2026 including many new sustainable features, such as the fuel for the cars, alongside the continuing plan for Net Zero Carbon by 2030 (F1’s Zero Carbon Target for 2030, 2019), resulting in a positive improvement of Formula 1’s brand image and a bright future for the sport.
Please see the sources used for this post below:
F1’s Zero Carbon Target for 2030; Formula One.(news) (2019) Belfast Telegraph (Belfast, Northern Ireland), 42, pp. 42–42.
Mitchell, S. (2022). Tech Explained: Formula 1 MGU-H. [online] Racecar Engineering. Available at: https://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/tech-explained-formula-1-mgu-h/.
Origo Solutions. (2023). April 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.origo.ec/2023/04/ [Accessed 13 Jan. 2024].
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