Overtake Mode & Active Aero - Explaining F1's Fresh Regulatory Jargon

F1 has introduced the official vocabulary that will be used to reference the technical complexities of its new 2026 rulebook.

The championship is implementing what is arguably the biggest technical shift in its illustrious history next season, featuring fresh chassis and power unit regulations and the required adoption of eco-friendly fuels.

The revised engines, which keep the hybrid V6 layout, boast a greatly enhanced energy storage, driving significant developments in the aero packages.

Throughout races, pilots will carefully oversee ERS energy – potentially on flying laps – to achieve the optimal result.

Broad surveys were conducted with a mix of viewers, including new, casual and core fans, to identify which terms would make things clearer of the key features of the upcoming rules.

The primary aim was to render a series of complex technical aspects of the racing as straightforward as possible for the widest audience.

Consequently, initial designations for specific components – such as "alphabetical mode names" for the moveable wings – have been discarded in favour of intuitive labels that succinctly convey the primary purpose of the innovation.

Exploring the New Tech

Regulators explain that competitors will have increased agency to make decisions regarding power usage, regeneration, and saving energy.

The 2026 rules mandate a set of functions that will be visually displayed on TV overlays to improve the viewers' comprehension of the on-track action.

• Attack Mode: This replaces the existing Drag Reduction System. It provides a burst of extra electrical energy available when a competitor is close behind the car ahead to assist with an overtaking maneuver.
• Boost Mode: This is a on-demand battery discharge from the hybrid system that can be deployed for offensive or defensive moves. It provides the driver full engine and battery energy at the push of a button.

Both of these crucial modes will have to be managed carefully, as the total energy is strictly limited.

• Adjustable Aero: Both the nose and rear wings change configuration – opening on the straights for reduced drag and increased velocity, and closing in the corners for optimal cornering performance.
• Battery Recharge: The system can replenish their battery with power recovered from braking, or during throttle lift at the conclusion of a straight or in corners where only limited engine output is used.

What's Changing on the Cars?

The next-generation machines will be smaller and lighter compared to the 2025 spec, with a wheelbase cut by 200mm to 3,400mm, overall width narrowed by 100mm – down to 1,900mm – and the lowest permissible weight decreased by 30kg.

Cumulative downforce is projected to decrease by approximately 15-30%, although teams will naturally regain performance as they develop their cars.

Air resistance has been reduced by 40%. The cars will employ moveable wing elements – both wings will move on the straight sections to cut resistance and boost top speed and revert into place for peak handling.

Tyres will continue to use 18-inch rims, but the rubber compounds will be slimmer, by a quarter-centimetre on the front and three centimetres on the rear.

What's Changing in the Engines?

The 2026 engines will have an approximate 50-50 split in energy output by the petrol engine and the battery and motor, a rise from about one-fifth electric power this year.

The hybrid system is made less complex through the deletion of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat, the complicated and costly component that harvested power from the exhaust turbo.

Cars will be required to run on carbon-neutral fuel, manufactured from biomass or synthetic production methods.