Formula Data Analysis

My earlier prediction:

💡At least one (likely both) is true:
-The new cars have extremely low drag
-Ferrari's new ICE is stronger than F1 predicted (400kW)
What’s certain: these cars will fly on the straights - and Catalunya isn’t even low-drag!

[ CxA from drag POWER: 0.5ρCxAv^3 = ICEpower@vMax, ρ≈1.22 ]

The drag drop is massive (-37%), even assuming the ’25 car was in full ERS harvest (–120 kW), to be subtracted from ~615 kW ICE power (~840 hp).

Back in December, I predicted CxA = 0.66 → 359 km/h top speed, very close to real data (355 km/h → 0.68)

(2/3)

My prediction was right: 2026 #F1 cars will be WAY faster on the straights! 🚀

Ocon reached 355 km/h once he was allowed full deployment, and no evidence of slipstream!
In his best '25 quali lap, he reached 'just' 327km/h - and he mentioned reaching the top speed EARLIER on the straight in '26
(1/3)

🟠McL: Complex design, featuring an outboard winglet! Loaded midspan

⚫️Merc: fixed primary flap, only the secondary can move → less drag reduction?

🔵RBR: Primary flap 'flat' (no camber)

🔴Ferrari: only one to have the front wing actuator ON the wing (and not inside the nose) → disrupted airflow?

Just to give you an idea of the level of detail:

This is, BY FAR, the best article I've ever read on the 2026 #F1 regulations, a must-read for any fan to get started with the new season! 💡

Written by F1 commentator Gabor Weber, I was honoured to contribute to it and to review it, alongside two F1 professionals 😏

wgmotorsport.hu/cikk/total-r...

I can’t quite make sense of Mercedes’ front-wing actuation choice

-They’re the ONLY team not exploiting the 30 mm drag-reducing deflection allowed on the 🔵 primary flap, keeping it fixed 🤯
-They rely solely on the 🟡 secondary flap’s 60 mm deflection

Read on 👇

Ferrari, for reference

Expect a less-loaded secondary plane to limit straight-line drag, with a more-loaded upper plane to compensate

It’s the most puzzling thing I’ve seen so far. There must be an upside, but for now, only the downside is obvious 🤔
What's your opinion?

I can’t quite make sense of Mercedes’ front-wing actuation choice

-They’re the ONLY team not exploiting the 30 mm drag-reducing deflection allowed on the 🔵 primary flap, keeping it fixed 🤯
-They rely solely on the 🟡 secondary flap’s 60 mm deflection

Read on 👇

The 3 Ferrari-engined #F1 cars have VASTLY different cooling solutions!

🔴Ferrari:
-Upper Intake: medium, triangular
-Sidepods inlets: complex geometry

⚪️Haas:
-Upper: Largest (triangle + side inlets)
-Side: Simple, rectangular

⚫️Cadillac:
-Upper: Tiny triangle + small side inlets
-Side: U-shaped

Unrelated: I LOVE Cadillac's livery! (similar colour-scheme to my logo 😇)
What's your favourite thus far?

Sidepod designs differ greatly, too (less sculpted for Ferrari, more for Haas, boxiest for Cadillac).
This difference in design means that there might be space left to 'shrink' them for aerodynamic gains

The 3 Ferrari-engined #F1 cars have VASTLY different cooling solutions!

🔴Ferrari:
-Upper Intake: medium, triangular
-Sidepods inlets: complex geometry

⚪️Haas:
-Upper: Largest (triangle + side inlets)
-Side: Simple, rectangular

⚫️Cadillac:
-Upper: Tiny triangle + small side inlets
-Side: U-shaped

Considering Ferrari's frequent development issues, starting from a simple base might be a pro, not a cons

Tifosi: "Is this our year? Or next year?"

💡Interesting bits:
-This is the first real car with an inwashing front wing
-Back to front push-rod. Very rearward-rotated upper wishbone
-Stepped shark fin
-From video, the car has almost no rake
-The bargeboard stays have an intriguing shape!
(2/3)

Ferrari's SF-26 looks 'basic': very simple endplates and bulky bodywork... this might be a 'base-spec' to be significantly developed! 👀

The minimal centerline cooling makes up for the huge sidepod inlets (the opposite of Racing Bulls!) → Lower CoG, cleaner rear wing airflow

Read on 👇
(1/3) #F1

The 'Low Downforce' configuration looks VERY low downforce! The front wing becomes much less loaded than even the configuration one would expect to be used in Monza

Front + Rear active aero is finally here! #F1

This one made my day:

💀

A frontal shot, showing how HUGE that inlet is!

The Pull→Push-rod switch, mainly aero-driven, is major and potentially critical (Ferrari’s failed push→pull change last year is a warning)
We still need clearer shots of the lower wishbone to assess anti-dive

Intriguing design: 2026 #F1 cars look radically different! 😁

🟪2025 vs 🟩2026

KEY DIFFERENCES 👇
-HUGE central inlet (~3× ERS power → far higher cooling needs)
-Radical front suspension rethink: much flatter upper wishbone and switch from PULL-rod to PUSH-rod
-TINY front wingspan (+ active aero actuator)
-Far more complex endplate and outboard section

Why does the new Haas VF-26 have a set of REAR TYRES as FRONT TYRES?!?
😭😭😭 #F1

The renders - NOT the physical show cars - released by Red Bull and Racing Bulls do NOT match any F1 FIA renders seen so far. They may be pre-testing prototypes, hinting at the design direction already chosen 💡

Both will switch the front suspension from PULL to PUSH-rod 🛠️

I assumed a conservative 90% transmission efficiency for '26 and picked Monza to minimise ’25 drag… yet the acceleration gap stayed massive!
2026 cars will be ROCKETS 🚀

And that's without 'ERS Override': with that, maximum power will be retained until 337km/h!

After opening the DRS, the 2025 car did start closing the gap... but was still slower by the end of Monza's long straight!

(2/3)

I simulated a 🟥2026 #F1 car’s acceleration against 🟦VER’s real Monza pole telemetry: the result was shocking!

Narrower track + active aero slash drag, so 2026 cars accelerate much faster
ERS power will drop above 290 km/h, yet the drag reduction more than offsets the lower ICE power!

Read on👇(1/3)