F1 26

Think you know Formula 1? Think again. For the First time since the hybrid revolution back in 2014, F1 genuinely steps into unknown territory this year with a complete technical overhaul. The 2026 regulations bring sweeping change to virtually every area of grand prix cars, altering everything from how they’re powered and how they behave down to how they look.

Early impressions are largely positive. They’re smaller and more compact than the bloated tech-laden hybrid cars of old. Beneath the millimetre-thick carbon bodywork lies a new technical package that relies less on traditional grunt and go and more on new-world whir and whizz. The combustion engine to electricity ratio is now almost 50/50, which will bring a new dynamic to grands prix, while new active aerodynamics promise to make overtaking an art form once again.

Whether or not this plays out as hoped remains to be seen and after the initial rounds of testing in Bahrain some doubts have been raised about how the 2026 cars force drivers to conserve energy rather than race flat out. Then again, with every regulation reset there are always winners and losers as some teams crack the new code and others struggle.

So what are the changes to Formula 1, why have they been made, and what does the future hold for the top tier? We’ve been following every launch, rumour and breaking news story, and have collated the best of our magazine and website content into this special edition to help answer that very question. We’ve pooled the sharpest minds in the sport to address every facet of the new rules, while introducing you to the 11 teams and drivers, and assessing the state of play ahead of the start of what promises to be an historic season.

Read more about the past, present and future of Formula 1 in Motor Sport’s vast archive.
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