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The new F1 dictionary for 2026
racingnews365.com·

The new F1 dictionary for 2026

With the start of the 2026 season, drivers, teams and fans will have to deal with a completely new vocabulary of buttons, systems and regulations. From "Overtake" to active aerodynamics, from Audi's entry to the compression ratio controversy, the sport is evolving into a new era.  Here are the key terms for the coming years. Overtake The well-known DRS system will be replaced by Overtake Mode in 2026. Unlike the opening rear wing, which offered an aerodynamic advantage, Overtake Mode provides additional electrical power.  The system can be activated when a driver is within one second of the car ahead, similar to how DRS was allowed to be activated. There is one detection point per circuit. With Overtake Mode, the attacking driver can charge an additional 0.5 megajoules and use it the next lap to attempt an overtake.  This means that the attacking driver has both more total energy available and access to full power at higher speeds than the car in front of him. A significant advantage to enable overtaking manoeuvres. Boost In addition to Overtake Mode, drivers will also have a separate Boost Mode at their disposal, a system that operates completely independently of proximity to rivals.  Boost is a button on the steering wheel that delivers the maximum combined power from both the combustion engine and the battery, as long as electrical power is available.  As opposed to Overtake Mode, drivers can use this system anywhere on the track, both for attack and defence. The strategic element is in the timing.  Drivers can decide to deploy the boost all at once for powerful acceleration, or spread the extra energy over several moments in the lap, depending on when they need the extra performance most. This flexibility makes the boost button one of the most versatile tactical tools in the new F1 arsenal. Recharge Drivers can then recharge the battery with Recharge Mode. When the mode is enabled, the battery recharges by the energy released under braking.  This creates an intense task in the cockpit. Drivers must constantly switch between power input, aerodynamic modes and energy from the battery. It becomes a constant dialogue between driver and team via the onboard radio. In early simulations, the battery would be depleted so early on a straight that a driver would have to downshift, but that is not expected to happen. However, speed can be reduced on straights. Straight and Corner Mode In addition to changes to the engine, 2026 also marks the end of the ground-effect era that began in 2022.  The real revolution, however, is in active aerodynamics. Both the front and rear wings get adjustable flaps that can operate in two different positions, available to all drivers on designated straights. In Straight Mode, the front and rear wings are flatter to reduce drag in predetermined activation zones.  This lowers downforce and improves top speed. In Corner Mode, the wings remain in their standard closed position to maintain the higher downforce needed for cornering grip. For wet conditions, there is a partial aero option where the front wing can be in Straight Mode while the rear wing remains in Corner Mode for the needed downforce. The text continues below the image. Compression Ratio While the visible changes draw attention, behind the scenes a technical controversy rages over engine compression ratios.  The 2026 regulations limit the geometric compression ratio to 16:1 from 18:1 in 2025. This reduction was implemented to help new engine manufacturers and align with the transition to sustainable fuels. The critical point: compression ratio is measured statically, not while racing. This measurement approach has generated considerable controversy.  Namely, Mercedes could still reach 18:1 if used without violating regulations. That could yield three to four tenths on a circuit like Australia. So this term will come up often, as other engine suppliers are not happy with it. Ferrari, Audi and Honda are said to have protested to the FIA. So this topic will no doubt be continued... Audi & Cadillac About Audi, that brand will enter F1 as a factory team in 2026 after taking over from Sauber. The team will operate from Sauber's existing headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland, while Audi has set up a powertrain production site in Neuberg, Germany.  Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto form the driver duo, with Jonathan Wheatley as team principal. Cadillac forms the other, all-new eleventh team. The Cadillac Formula 1 Team, backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports, received final approval in March 2025 and becomes the first new team since Haas in 2016. The team is led by Graeme Lowdon as team boss and will initially use Ferrari engines while General Motors builds an engine for 2029.  Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez should help Cadillac advance with their experience. Red Bull Powertrains Red Bull Racing is also taking a huge step forward with Red Bull Powertrains, its own power unit to be used from 2026.  Red Bull Powertrains is developing a V6 turbo hybrid powertrain in collaboration with Ford. This is a huge project, with about 700 people contributing to it in Milton Keynes. The question is how competitive Red Bull and sister team Racing Bulls will be, though. They have never driven its own engines before.  Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar should help the team in its biggest challenge to date in the coming years. Arvid Lindblad In the midst of all this technical complexity, there is one driver who is experiencing it all for the first time: Arvid Lindblad, the only rookie on the 2026 grid. The 18-year-old British driver drives for Racing Bulls alongside Liam Lawson. Lindblad earned his seat after just one season in Formula 2, where he finished sixth in the championship with three race wins.  His path to F1 was accelerated by two appearances for Red Bull in 2025 at Silverstone and in Mexico City, where he impressed the team management enough to secure his Racing Bulls seat. Early competitiveness will be challenging, especially since the 2026 season features completely new technical regulations and engines that even experienced drivers will have to get used to. Spanish Grand Prix And as if all these technical changes were not enough, the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix will be held at the Madring for the first time.  This is a street circuit near Madrid, near the IFEMA Exhibition Centre. The circuit covers 5.47 kilometres with 22 corners, including a remarkably long sloping corner, the longest sloping corner on the F1 calendar. The Spanish Grand Prix will take place on Sept. 13 and is the sixteenth round of the season. The European season will officially conclude at the Madring.

Sergio Perez opens up on 'very hard' personal F1 difficulty
racingnews365.com·

Sergio Perez opens up on 'very hard' personal F1 difficulty

Sergio Pérez has opened up about the "very hard" personal difficulty that comes with the fame of being a Formula 1 driver, particularly as the only current driver on the grid from Mexico. Pérez’s first full-time campaign in F1 came with Sauber in 2011, before he went on to race for McLaren, Force India/Racing Point and, most recently, Red Bull. His F1 career was close to ending after he was not retained by Racing Point, but it was saved when Red Bull offered the 35-year-old a contract. Pérez completed four seasons with the Milton Keynes-based outfit before the two parties mutually parted ways at the end of 2024, leading to a one-year sabbatical. However, the Mexican hero is back for 2026 with new American F1 team Cadillac. His return to F1 is significant for Mexico, with Pérez being one of the most followed drivers on the grid. While he recognises that he inspires many people, Pérez — who has a young family — has revealed that he struggles with the fame that comes with being an F1 driver, believing he was not born for the spotlight. Addressing life as Perez the F1 driver and Perez the family man, the Cadillac driver told the Cracks podcast: "I think I like to separate things. I like to keep my worlds separate; I don’t like mixing them much.  "I think I’ve done that since I was very young, and in the end, when you’re such a well-known character, you automatically close yourself off, no matter how much you want more relationships or more friends. Your world automatically shrinks a lot. "So when I’m with my friends, I already have my friends, and it’s hard to make new friendships in that sense because there are so many people around you that you always feel — I feel — very overwhelmed. I’m very private. Fame is very hard for me. You wouldn’t imagine it, but it’s hard for me. I’m a person who wasn’t born to be famous. "I think there are people and personalities that are made for fame. For example, my dad is a person born for fame, and he always seeks it and always wants attention, right? And I’m the complete opposite. It’s something that’s always been very hard for me. "So fame has always been difficult, and I think that’s why I’ve always separated it and know that this is a very important moment in my life — a moment where I inspire a lot of people. But it will pass, right? And tomorrow, I hope to be less known in the world and have a calmer life."

Helmut Marko reacts to staggering Sergio Perez Red Bull criticism
racingnews365.com·

Helmut Marko reacts to staggering Sergio Perez Red Bull criticism

Helmut Marko has reacted to Sergio Perez's staggering criticism towards Red Bull, with the Austrian admitting he found the comments "surprising". Perez joined Red Bull ahead of the 2021 season to replace Alex Albon, following the Mexican driver being left without a seat after Force India did not renew his contract.  Red Bull saved Perez's F1 career, with the pair having spent four eventful years together. Perez claimed five wins for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, although he never consistently matched Max Verstappen.  In the end, Perez's form spiralled out of control, leading to his exit at the end of 2024. It resulted in a one-year sabbatical from F1, with him to rejoin this year with new outfit Cadillac. There is clearly no love lost for Perez towards Red Bull, who fired a series of comments against the team in a recent podcast appearance. "At Red Bull, everything was a problem," Perez said on the Cracks podcast. "If I was very fast, it was a problem, because then there was a very tense atmosphere within Red Bull.  "If I was faster than Max, it was a problem. If I was slower than Max, it was a problem. So everything was a problem. I also learned a lot from that: 'OK, these are the circumstances I'm in'." Marko's reaction Perez was very much a number two driver while at Red Bull and played a major part in McLaren beating the outfit to the 2024 constructors' title. It was a mixed four years for the 35-year-old, although Marko raised the argument that without Red Bull, Perez's career was done. Asked for his thoughts on Perez's comments, Marko told ORF : "It is somewhat surprising, because we should not forget that Checo Pérez did not have a contract. He was fired from the racing team he practically kept alive. "I don't know exactly how many Grand Prix races he won, but especially in 2022 he was in the race for the world championship for a while.  "That he eventually stopped performing had several reasons, but overall I think Checo made his career with us.