The FIA has formally defined the terminology that will accompany the technical changes coming to Formula 1 in 2026, publishing a clearer and more accessible vocabulary to describe how the next-generation cars will operate on track.
With one of the most radical resets in the championship’s history approaching, the governing body says the new language is designed to reflect how the cars actually function, while making the technology easier to understand for fans, broadcasters and teams alike.
With the DRS disappearing next year, the new active aero modes that will be introduced next year had originally been designated X-mode and Z-mode.
X-mode, a low-drag set-up for straights designed to boost top speeds, will now be called Straight Mode.
Z-mode, the high-downforce set-up for corners, is now Corner Mode.
The move marks a step away from abstract or internal designations in favour of terminology that describes the purpose of the aero modes more clearly.
Alongside this, drivers will also have access to Overtake Mode, a separate, driver-controlled energy deployment setting that can be used anywhere on the circuit, either offensively or defensively.
2026 cars will have more electric power and a push-to-pass ‘overtake mode’
FIA
When a driver is within one second of the car ahead at designated activation points, they can deploy an extra +0.5MJ of energy, roughly equivalent to an additional 67 bhp, to attempt a pass or defend.
The system is designed to favour the chasing car: the leading driver’s energy deployment tapers off above 180mph (290km/h), while the following car can use the full 350 kW output of Overtake Mode up to 210mph (337 km/h).
The resulting speed differential is intended to make overtaking more achievable, adding a new strategic dimension to racecraft and creating more visible action for fans.
“It’s going to be quite different, especially in racing rather than in quali,” the FIA quoted Mercedes’ deputy technical director Simone Resta as saying.
“We are all used to a certain format with the DRS that helps with overtaking and is used in defined areas and with certain gaps, but next year, every driver will be running moveable front and rear wings together, at many points in the lap, and they will be using the energy to help overtaking.
Formula 1’s DRS will be replaced by active aero and manual override in 2026. Find out all you need to know about it here
By
Pablo Elizalde
“It’s going to be different and potentially quite more unpredictable in the way that the drivers will use the energy to overtake.”
Energy management language has also been streamlined.
Battery replenishment will now be referred to simply as Recharge, covering the process by which electrical energy is recovered under braking or partial throttle and stored for later use.
With the 2026 power unit featuring a near 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical output, Recharge will become a decisive element of both qualifying and race strategy.
Beyond improving fan understanding, the governing body has stressed that the terminology is also intended to create consistency across teams, officials and broadcasters, reducing ambiguity as drivers gain more direct control over energy deployment and aerodynamic configuration.
