The 2026 Formula 1 season marks one of the biggest technical resets in the sport’s modern history. The new power units keep the 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 but drop the complex MGU-H, while dramatically increasing electrical power. The result is a hybrid system pushed toward a roughly 50/50 split between combustion and electric energy, all running on fully sustainable fuel.
On the aerodynamic side, the familiar DRS is gone, replaced by active aerodynamics that let drivers switch between low-drag and high-downforce modes. The cars are smaller and lighter, with a shorter wheelbase and reduced downforce, all aimed at producing closer, more competitive racing.
The grid has changed too. Cadillac joins as the sport’s 11th team, the first all-new entry since Haas in 2016, running Ferrari power initially before switching to a General Motors engine later this decade. Audi has taken over the Sauber operation as a full works team, Ford is back partnering Red Bull Powertrains, and Honda now powers Aston Martin. It all adds up to the most open and unpredictable season in years.