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FIA TECHNICAL REGULATIONS · 2026 SEASON

THE F1 FIELD MANUAL

01The Basics 02Race Weekend 03The Car 042026 Changes 05Glossary

01 · The Basics

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THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Formula 1 runs two parallel championships — Drivers and Constructors. The Drivers' Championship crowns the best individual; the Constructors' Championship rewards the team that scores the most combined points across both cars.

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POINTS SYSTEM

Points are awarded to the top 10 finishers: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1. An extra point goes to the driver setting the fastest lap — if they finish in the top 10. Sprint races award half points to the top 8.

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THE CARS

F1 cars are the fastest regulated circuit racing cars on the planet. They generate more downforce than their own weight, can pull 5G in corners, and accelerate 0–100 mph in under 2 seconds. Each car is worth over $15 million.

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PIT STOPS

Teams must use at least two different tyre compounds during a dry race. Pit stops typically take 2–3 seconds for a tyre change. Strategy — when to pit and which compound to use — is often the difference between winning and losing.

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DRS

The Drag Reduction System opens a flap on the rear wing to reduce drag. It can only be used in designated zones when a driver is within 1 second of the car ahead. It adds roughly 10–15 km/h of top speed and is key to overtaking.

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SAFETY CAR

When there's an incident on track, the Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car neutralises the race. No overtaking is permitted behind the Safety Car. Teams often pit during these periods to gain a strategic advantage.

"An F1 car generates enough downforce to drive upside down at 150mph. It corners at forces that would cause most people to black out."

FIA TECHNICAL BRIEFING · 2026 REGULATIONS

02 · Race Weekend Format

ThuDAY 1

FriDAY 2

SatDAY 3

SunDAY 4

Media Day

FP1

FP2

FP3

Qualifying

Race

SESSION TYPES

PRACTICE

Data gathering, setup work

QUALIFYING

Sets the grid order

SPRINT

100km points race (sprint weekends only)

RACE

305km+ championship points

QUALIFYING FORMAT

Q118 minP16–P20 eliminated (5 cars)

Q215 minP11–P15 eliminated (5 cars)

Q312 minTop 10 fight for pole

03 · Anatomy of an F1 Car

Every component on an F1 car is governed by the FIA Technical Regulations — a 400+ page document defining permitted dimensions, materials, and constructions. Hover the zones below to explore what the rules say about each part.

TOP-DOWN VIEW · HOVER ANY ZONE TO INSPECT REGULATIONS

HOVER A ZONE TO INSPECT

12 zones · click to explore regulations

"The 2026 power unit is the most radical technical change since turbo engines returned in 2014. 350kW from the electric motor alone."

850bhp

TOTAL POWER OUTPUT

50/50

ICE TO ERS SPLIT

30kglighter

VS 2025 CAR

11teams

ON THE GRID

04 · 2026 Rule Changes

REGULATION CYCLE

2026 IS THE BIGGEST TECHNICAL RESET SINCE 2022

The 2022 regulations introduced ground-effect aerodynamics to improve racing. 2026 goes further — new power units, active aerodynamics, lighter cars, and a new manufacturer. It's the most comprehensive regulation change in a decade, designed to close the performance gap between teams and reduce costs simultaneously.

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POWER UNIT

50/50 Power Split

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BEFORE

~160kW electrical deployment

2026

~350kW electrical deployment

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AERODYNAMICS

Active Rear Wing

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BEFORE

DRS: manual activation, 1s gap rule

2026

ARW: automatic above 290 km/h

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CHASSIS

Slimmer, Lighter Cars

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BEFORE

798kg minimum weight, 5.6m long

2026

768kg minimum weight, ~5.2m long

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TYRES

New Tyre Compounds

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BEFORE

C1–C5 range, 4 dry specs per event

2026

Revised compounds, 3 specs per event

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REGULATIONS

Cost Cap Tightened

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BEFORE

$135M operational cap (2024)

2026

$130M cap, stricter enforcement

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NEW ENTRANT

GM / Cadillac Joins

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BEFORE

10 teams, all European/Japanese PU

2026

11 teams, American manufacturer enters

05 · Glossary

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RACE STRATEGY6 TERMS

UndercutPitting earlier than a rival to gain track position by emerging on fresh, faster tyres before they pit.›

OvercutStaying out longer than a rival, hoping to benefit from their tyre change being slower or traffic costing them time.›

Free StopA pit stop made under Safety Car or VSC where the time cost is minimal because all cars slow down.›

Split StrategyRunning the two cars on different tyre strategies to cover multiple scenarios and learn which works best.›

Tyre WindowThe operating temperature range in which a tyre produces maximum grip.›

StackingWhen a team calls both cars in to pit on the same lap, one behind the other.›

TYRES6 TERMS

GrainingRubber tearing off the tyre surface in chunks due to excessive sliding, causing vibration and reduced grip.›

BlisteringHeat bubbles forming under the tyre surface due to overheating. Unlike graining, blistering is permanent damage.›

DegShort for degradation — the rate at which tyre performance falls off over a stint.›

CliffThe point at which a tyre suddenly loses grip very rapidly, ending the useful life of the stint.›

Bedding InThe first lap or two on fresh tyres where the tyre is brought up to temperature.›

Prime / OptionHistoric terms for the harder (prime) and softer (option) compounds at each race. Now called Hard/Medium/Soft.›

CAR & TECHNICAL8 TERMS

DownforceAerodynamic force pressing the car into the ground, generated by wings and floor, enabling higher cornering speeds.›

Ground EffectAerodynamic principle where airflow under the car creates a low-pressure zone, sucking the car to the track.›

RakeThe nose-down angle of the car. High rake means the rear sits higher than the front.›

PorpoisingRapid oscillating bounce caused by the ground effect stall and re-stall at high speed.›

DRSDrag Reduction System — opens a rear wing flap to reduce drag when within 1 second of the car ahead.›

ERSEnergy Recovery System — harvests energy under braking and from the turbo, stored and deployed as additional power.›

MGU-KMotor Generator Unit – Kinetic. Recovers energy under braking and deploys it as additional power.›

Parc FerméControlled environment entered after qualifying where no setup changes to the car are permitted.›

RACE CONTROL6 TERMS

VSCVirtual Safety Car — all cars must drive at a prescribed delta time. No physical safety car on track.›

Delta TimeThe time difference between a driver and a target lap time, used to manage pace behind Safety Car.›

Black FlagDisqualification — the driver must immediately return to the pits and retire from the race.›

Black/White FlagA formal warning for unsportsmanlike behaviour. A second occurrence typically results in a time penalty.›

Snap OversteerSudden, violent loss of rear grip. At F1 speeds this is nearly impossible to catch.›

Track LimitsThe defined boundaries of the racing surface. Exceeding them consistently results in lap time deletion or penalties.›

REGULATIONS & GOVERNANCE6 TERMS

FIAFédération Internationale de l'Automobile. The governing body that writes and enforces all F1 regulations.›

Cost CapMaximum budget teams can spend on car development and operations per season ($135M in 2024).›

Concorde AgreementThe commercial contract between F1 teams, FOM, and FIA governing prize money distribution and governance rights.›

Token SystemHistorical mechanism limiting the number of development changes a team could make to their car per season.›

HomologationThe process of certifying a component meets FIA standards and is approved for use.›

ScrutineeringThe FIA technical inspection of cars before and after sessions to verify compliance with regulations.›