Formula One has decided to focus even more on the power and reliability of electric. The new guidelines of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which will come into effect starting with the 2026 World Championship, include major changes at the rulebook level and beyond: thanks to an increasing importance of electric components, single-seaters will gain more speed and greater aerodynamics through innovative and efficient technological systems.
A new power unit
The power unit is the set of electromechanical energy storage components that power Formula 1 cars; traditionally combustion-based, an electric power component had already taken over in recent years. As of 2026, the new generation of power units will be 50% electrically powered, a percentage that today is around 25%. With this change, the battery contribution increases from 120kWh to 350kWh, a 300% increase in electric power.
More acceleration and safety thanks to electric
Formula One cars will no longer be equipped with Drs, the drag system introduced a few years ago to aid overtaking and make racing more spectacular. From 2026 instead of Drs, Manual Override, a hybrid system that allows the immediate acceleration of the electric motor to be used for a longer time in a straight line than a competitor, will be introduced. The FIA’s choice was also dictated by the fact that Manual Override is a safer way to facilitate overtaking than DRS, which can be affected by malfunctions and is more dangerous in adverse weather conditions. This new system, in which the electric is the protagonist, extends the use of maximum power (350kWh), with a top speed of 337km/h instead of 290km/h.
These are important changes, in power, for the Bev market as well: the increasingly entrenched adoption of the electric component in Formula One in the future may have an increasing impact on the entire automotive sector.
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