2026 Aerodynamic & Chassis Regulations

[FW17]

FIA should have replaced the barge board with a standardized front wheel wake deflector, like the element 5 in formula e

[bananapeel23]

FIA should have replaced the barge board with a standardized front wheel wake deflector, like the element 5 in formula e

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... N9sfs&s=10

The bargeboard is the single most interesting aerodynamic element on an F1 car. Getting rid of it would be a massive shame. Even the pseudo-bargeboard we have now is the most interesting piece of the car.

[venkyhere]

FIA should have replaced the barge board with a standardized front wheel wake deflector, like the element 5 in formula e

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... N9sfs&s=10

The whole point of 'open wheel formula' in general and the 'inwashing bargeboard' in particular for 2026, is to present an aerodynamic challenge to the designer. That's the whole point of F1, to make the engineering 'hard'.

[FW17]

FIA should have replaced the barge board with a standardized front wheel wake deflector, like the element 5 in formula e

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... N9sfs&s=10

The whole point of 'open wheel formula' in general and the 'inwashing bargeboard' in particular for 2026, is to present an aerodynamic challenge to the designer. That's the whole point of F1, to make the engineering 'hard'.

If hard is the case, then the whole listed parts and customer engine should be abandoned by FIA.

[bananapeel23]

FIA should have replaced the barge board with a standardized front wheel wake deflector, like the element 5 in formula e

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... N9sfs&s=10

The whole point of 'open wheel formula' in general and the 'inwashing bargeboard' in particular for 2026, is to present an aerodynamic challenge to the designer. That's the whole point of F1, to make the engineering 'hard'.

If hard is the case, then the whole listed parts and customer engine should be abandoned by FIA.

Cost is also a factor to be considered. Some off the shelf parts are necessary to make F1 work within the confines of the cost cap.

[FW17]

The whole point of 'open wheel formula' in general and the 'inwashing bargeboard' in particular for 2026, is to present an aerodynamic challenge to the designer. That's the whole point of F1, to make the engineering 'hard'.

If hard is the case, then the whole listed parts and customer engine should be abandoned by FIA.

Cost is also a factor to be considered. Some off the shelf parts are necessary to make F1 work within the confines of the cost cap.

Teams that are worth 3 billion do not have the capability to build their owin gearbox and suspension components.

[djos]

If hard is the case, then the whole listed parts and customer engine should be abandoned by FIA.

Cost is also a factor to be considered. Some off the shelf parts are necessary to make F1 work within the confines of the cost cap.

Teams that are worth 3 billion do not have the capability to build their owin gearbox and suspension components.

Money that only exists on paper is hard to spend!

[FW17]

Cost is also a factor to be considered. Some off the shelf parts are necessary to make F1 work within the confines of the cost cap.

Teams that are worth 3 billion do not have the capability to build their owin gearbox and suspension components.

Money that only exists on paper is hard to spend!

It is unwillingness to spend on the business, but the owners can spend on themselves.

[djos]

Teams that are worth 3 billion do not have the capability to build their owin gearbox and suspension components.

Money that only exists on paper is hard to spend!

It is unwillingness to spend on the business, but the owners can spend on themselves.

The only way the teams can access the "value" of their business is to sell shares in the company or borrow money against the value of their business. The 1st option dilutes their ownership, and the second option needs to be paid back out existing revenue sources - it's not as simple as it sounds.

[michl420]

So they have made the RW smaller, hoping that it will reduce superclip duration and make the energy requirement lesser. But it does reduce downforce, and might end up penalizing the recharging under braking and through corners. In which case, what to make of it ? is it going to improve or worsen laptimes (w.r.t 2026) on a "typical" track, like Bahrain/Barcelona ?

what is that green element for 2027 ? cross-member reinforcement for the twin tower RW supports ?

Of course it worsen laptimes. Because otherwise the teams would run the smaller wing already. Is is the same with the introduced lower reacharge limits. It might look more "normal" now, but it is not good for laptimes.

[venkyhere]

So they have made the RW smaller, hoping that it will reduce superclip duration and make the energy requirement lesser. But it does reduce downforce, and might end up penalizing the recharging under braking and through corners. In which case, what to make of it ? is it going to improve or worsen laptimes (w.r.t 2026) on a "typical" track, like Bahrain/Barcelona ?

what is that green element for 2027 ? cross-member reinforcement for the twin tower RW supports ?

Of course it worsen laptimes. Because otherwise the teams would run the smaller wing already. Is is the same with the introduced lower reacharge limits. It might look more "normal" now, but it is not good for laptimes.

I think it's a bit more subtle than that - teams wouldn't have run the smaller wing already, because of the 53:47 (or whatever it is) requires a certain amount of recharge to be done no matter what the ckt type is.
Next year it's going to be 58:42 and would present a lesser need to recharge.
So 'how would 2027 laptime compare with 2026' question still lingers, because FIA seems to be hell bent with the dictum - "what one hand gives, the other hand takes away"

[venkyhere]

[Tommy Cookers]

So they have made the RW smaller...lesser. But it does reduce downforce, and might end up penalizing the recharging under braking and through corners... is it going to improve or worsen laptimes ....

Of course it worsen laptimes. Because otherwise the teams would run the smaller wing already....

at present levels of aerodynamic downforce rear axle braking power at high speed is c. 1500 kW
but the MG can only recover energy at 350 kW (or whatever the limit is this week)
reducing downforce will increase energy recovered in braking
(because it increases braking time ie increases time for recovery at 350 kW etc)

we know the 1937 Mercedes-Benz GP car had max (rear axle) braking of 350 kW
(we know because it had wheelspin in top gear on the straight from its 400 kW power at the rear wheels)
btw this was the first car to have an LSD and the first to have high moment of polar inertia ie understeer

[saviour stivala]

So they have made the RW smaller...lesser. But it does reduce downforce, and might end up penalizing the recharging under braking and through corners... is it going to improve or worsen laptimes ....

Of course it worsen laptimes. Because otherwise the teams would run the smaller wing already....

at present levels of aerodynamic downforce rear axle braking power at high speed is c. 1500 kW
but the MG can only recover energy at 350 kW (or whatever the limit is this week)
reducing downforce will increase energy recovered in braking
(because it increases braking time ie increases time for recovery at 350 kW etc)

we know the 1937 Mercedes-Benz GP car had max (rear axle) braking of 350 kW
(we know because it had wheelspin in top gear on the straight from its 400 kW power at the rear wheels)
btw this was the first car to have an LSD and the first to have high moment of polar inertia ie understeer

It was the 1935 Auto Union that first used an LSD with help from ZF.

[mzso]

So they have made the RW smaller, hoping that it will reduce superclip duration and make the energy requirement lesser. But it does reduce downforce, and might end up penalizing the recharging under braking and through corners. In which case, what to make of it ? is it going to improve or worsen laptimes (w.r.t 2026) on a "typical" track, like Bahrain/Barcelona ?

what is that green element for 2027 ? cross-member reinforcement for the twin tower RW supports ?

That green part is also a wing, isn't it?

I don't think there's any regen of significance through corners, if there's any at all. They decided that (super)clipping is most effective/efficient.

I don't think it will effect recharging under braking. I don't think the wing box is a deciding factor on the downforce of the rear wheels.