2026 Aerodynamic & Chassis Regulations

[FW17]

https://youtu.be/1OwHobp4xPE?si=rlgDEu6T6XtmueqX

According to this, the floor will generate more downforce as a percentage than the wings than the 2022 car did.

2026 was originally just a power unit regs change. But they hacked up the chassis and aero just to accommodate the Frankenstein power units

I wouldn’t pay much attention to this video. The number are very dubious to say the least. The floor on the current regs makes nearer to 50% of the overall downforce, how he had it at somewhere in the 30s is baffling

Front wing closer to ground has a huge amount of downforce potential, this will allow the rear wing to be cranked up as well. this will increase the wing downforce contribution to overall downforce

The 2026 front wing is lifted off the road surface at the ends like in 2004. This reduces the overall wing downforce potential of front and rear wings. That increases the floor percentage contribution

[vorticism]

The 2026 plank & skid regs across several issues are worded differently from 2025. It might be worth comparing.

Some highlights from C3.6 in Issue 14:

-Plank assembly when new: 10mm (same as current), may abrade to 8mm (down from 9mm 2025 and prior)
-Three inspection holes, inline along the vehicle centerline at the front, center, and rear of the plank assembly
-Three skids which must surround the inspection holes
-Some spec skid geometry features are implied (team exclusive CAD file)
-Skids may be made of Ti or SS
-Middle and rear skid may be made of plank material
-Rear skid if composed of plank material may be integrated totally into the plank but must maintain spec skid geometry features like bolt holes (aero & mass parity)
-Inspection of plank assembly depth occurs only at inspection holes with the skids dismounted and measured with a micrometer

The rearmost skids being optionally non-metallic implies some cars may use rake. The rear axle might never bottom out as was the case pre-2022, and a lighter part (0,25 specific gravity or less for plank material) would be wanted for CoG lowering.