Damien Smith

Even before this tightly fought season is done, attention is already switching to Formula 1 in 2026.

- 

At Imola earlier this month, the new Cadillac team took a clandestine bow, as Sergio Pérez lapped a plain-black, 2023-spec car provided by power supplier Ferrari. In Munich, Audi revealed a concept livery - silver, black and red, of course — ahead of its own debut as the regeneration of Sauber nears completion (see p50 for more).

New entities in F1 always create a buzz - but it's the latest technical regulation changes that's generating the loudest hum. Not five minutes since the current formula was introduced in 2022, here we go again. Always cast as the biggest rules rewrite since, well, at least the last one, these really do look game-changing - but not necessarily for the better.

IT'S GETTING COMPLICATED

Next year’s F1 cars will be lighter, smaller and nimbler, which sounds like progress. Weight will be down 30kg to 768kg and length and width will be reduced by 200mm and 100mm respectively. Pirelli’s tyres will remain at 18in, but the fronts will be narrower by 25mm, the rears by 30mm.