The FIA calls this the biggest combined reset of chassis and power unit rules in F1 history. It's not just a tweak to a wing or a tyre change. It's a new car and a new engine at the same time. Here's what actually changed.
The engine is half electric now. The V6 turbo stays, but the split doesn't. The power is now roughly 50% combustion and 50% electric, up from about 20% electric before. The MGU-K nearly tripled, from 120kW to 350kW. The combustion side dropped 150kW.
The MGU-H is gone. The component that recovered heat energy from the turbo has been removed entirely. It was expensive and complicated, and it was a barrier to new manufacturers, which is a direct reason Audi and Ford are here in 2026.
The cars are smaller and lighter. They're 30kg lighter at a minimum of 768kg, with a wheelbase 20cm shorter and a body 10cm narrower. The FIA calls it the "nimble car concept," reversing the years when cars kept getting bigger.
Downforce is down by 30%, and drag is down by 55%. That means less grip in the corners and much less resistance on the straights.
DRS is gone, replaced by two things: active aero and Overtake Mode. For active aero, the wings move automatically between X-mode for low drag on straights and Z-mode for downforce in the corners, available to everyone. Overtake Mode is a burst of extra electrical power that still requires being within a second of the car ahead.
The fuel is 100% sustainable. Every team runs certified sustainable fuel with no fossil component, part of F1's net zero by 2030 target. It's designed to be performance-neutral, so it's a constraint everyone solves equally.
This is why the order looks different this year. Mercedes leading, Red Bull winless, Cadillac and Audi arriving into a reset. When the rules change this much, the advantage goes to whoever figured the system out best.