Yes, the cars already look objectively faster than the 2016s. But I didn't say they'd be slower. I just used the reference data. We'll see the data when the drivers start running race simulations. But in the corners, the new cars look much faster than the 2016s. Let's say I underestimated the new cars.mwillems wrote: ↑12 Feb 2026, 10:34But thats the max, what you can harvest depends on braking zones and on your harvesting efficiency.LionsHeart wrote: ↑12 Feb 2026, 10:24Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the clarification.mwillems wrote: ↑12 Feb 2026, 09:54
THey can harvest up to around 8.5mj per lap and keep 4mj from the previous lap (or charge) in the battery, total available of 4mj extra on a push lap verses a lap where the battery is being maintained. It's apparently about 11s of full power, which some equate to around a second a lap. Equivalent fast lap energy is of about 3 times the energy of the battery vs non push lap which is max 2 x battery (ish)
Its possible a team has strong harvesting.
In any case, deployment on a push lap (same fuel) won't likely be that different laptime wise from a standard lap and differences from Q to race not as big in relative terms to previous seasons.
Battery advantage from Q to R has stayed the same between seasons but race now equalised on aero activation and deployment advantage from last year to this, between Q and R is diminished somewhat.
I'm still saying faster than 2016
It's important to note that Pirelli are saying late 26 will approach 25 speeds.
What we should really be reading into this is the rate of development they think the teams can find from deployment and the concepts.
They are also seeing accurate and representative data and not our "sand bagged" view.
Edit: and of course driving style will affect harvesting.
Testing in Barcelona was already comparable to 2016 FP1 (with track change adjustments).LionsHeart wrote: ↑12 Feb 2026, 14:13Yes, the cars already look objectively faster than the 2016s. But I didn't say they'd be slower. I just used the reference data. We'll see the data when the drivers start running race simulations. But in the corners, the new cars look much faster than the 2016s. Let's say I underestimated the new cars.mwillems wrote: ↑12 Feb 2026, 10:34But thats the max, what you can harvest depends on braking zones and on your harvesting efficiency.
Its possible a team has strong harvesting.
In any case, deployment on a push lap (same fuel) won't likely be that different laptime wise from a standard lap and differences from Q to race not as big in relative terms to previous seasons.
Battery advantage from Q to R has stayed the same between seasons but race now equalised on aero activation and deployment advantage from last year to this, between Q and R is diminished somewhat.
I'm still saying faster than 2016
It's important to note that Pirelli are saying late 26 will approach 25 speeds.
What we should really be reading into this is the rate of development they think the teams can find from deployment and the concepts.
They are also seeing accurate and representative data and not our "sand bagged" view.
Edit: and of course driving style will affect harvesting.
They have just 8 sets for 3 days.SilviuAgo wrote: ↑12 Feb 2026, 12:47Today Lando is allergic to softs
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HA8x6vWbUAA ... ame=medium
McLaren's Chief Designer Rob Marshall spoke to the press yesterday - and what he had to say bodes very, very well for the season as a whole:
"To be perfectly honest, what I thought stood out the most is how competitive it looks. I thought there was a very high chance that somebody was going to come along with some package that aces it from the off, and it looks like that hasn’t happened," he explained.
"It looks like there are a good gaggle of cars that are very competitive. It’s difficult to judge performance, but you can see it to a reasonable level – especially when people start doing race distances. It looks like no-one’s going to run away with it, so it’s going to be a long haul."
