The 2026 technical regulations introduce the most significant power unit changes in a decade. Here is everything you need to understand the new energy system.
The 2026 Formula 1 power unit regulations represent a fundamental shift in how electrical energy is used in racing. The previous MGU-K unit was limited to 120 kW of deployment, which provided a modest but consistent boost on straights. Under the new regulations, the MGU-K output triples to 350 kW, radically changing the balance between the internal combustion engine and the hybrid system.
At the same time, the usable battery capacity increases to 8.5 MJ — more than double the previous generation — giving teams significantly more electrical energy to deploy per lap. This larger battery enables more aggressive deployment strategies and makes energy management a central element of lap time and race pace.
Perhaps the most significant change is the complete removal of DRS. The drag reduction system that has defined overtaking in Formula 1 since 2011 is replaced entirely by a manual active aerodynamics system. Rather than opening a rear wing flap in a detection zone, drivers can now switch between high-downforce and low-drag aero configurations at any point on the circuit.
The 2026 active aerodynamics system gives drivers manual control over the aerodynamic configuration of their car throughout the lap. On long straights, switching to a low-drag configuration reduces aerodynamic resistance and increases top speed, similar to how DRS worked but without the fixed detection zone restriction.
The key difference from DRS is that active aero operates in conjunction with the ERS boost mode. When a driver is within one second of the car ahead and activates the low-drag configuration, they simultaneously deploy maximum MGU-K power. This combined effect — reduced drag plus 350 kW of electrical thrust — creates an overtaking opportunity comparable in effect to DRS but theoretically available anywhere on the circuit rather than only in designated zones.
However, the Miami 2026 regulations introduced an important restriction. In low-grip conditions such as rain, the 350 kW boost mode is prohibited entirely for safety reasons. Teams must manage their active aero and ERS strategy differently in wet conditions, which adds a further layer of strategic complexity during mixed-weather races.
One critical physical effect of active aerodynamics is the interaction with dirty air. Unlike DRS, which provided a consistent benefit regardless of following distance, the 2026 system becomes less effective as a driver moves closer to the car ahead. The turbulent wake reduces the aerodynamic efficiency of the following car, partially offsetting the boost advantage. This means the overtaking window is narrower than it might appear on paper.
With 8.5 MJ of usable battery energy and a 350 kW MGU-K, teams must decide how to distribute electrical deployment across the lap. Every circuit has different characteristics that influence the optimal deployment plan. A circuit with long straights and few corners naturally favours deploying on the straights and harvesting under heavy braking. A tight and twisty circuit like Monaco offers fewer opportunities for deployment and more harvesting potential under braking.
PITWALL models ERS deployment at the individual track segment level. Drivers can assign each segment of the circuit one of three modes. In Boost mode, the MGU-K deploys energy at the maximum 350 kW rate on designated boost segments, or at 250 kW on non-boost segments per the post-Miami regulations. In Recharge mode, the system harvests energy aggressively under braking and deceleration. In Neutral mode, the system operates at baseline efficiency.
Maximum MGU-K deployment. 350kW on primary straights, 250kW elsewhere. Drains battery rapidly — only sustainable for ~1-2 segments per lap.
Aggressive energy harvesting. Recovers energy under braking and deceleration. Slightly slower through the harvesting zone but builds battery reserves.
Baseline operation. Passive recovery only (~0.79 MJ/lap). No active deployment or aggressive harvesting. Used to extend battery life mid-stint.
Top F1 teams do not run a single static ERS deployment plan throughout a race. Instead they use multiple pre-programmed plans that activate automatically based on race conditions. A common implementation uses three or four plans — a default plan, an attack plan for overtaking, a conservation plan when battery reserves are low, and a Safety Car plan that maximises harvesting behind the pace car.
The switching rules between plans are based on real-time parameters. If the gap to the car ahead drops below 1.5 seconds, the system may automatically switch to an attack plan that boosts in all aero zones. If the battery level drops below 2 MJ, a conservation plan activates to rebuild reserves before the next deployment phase. Under Safety Car conditions, passive recovery rates increase significantly because the car is travelling slowly with low aerodynamic drag, allowing the battery to charge rapidly.
PITWALL simulates multi-plan ERS systems using configurable switching rules. Players can define their own plans and specify the conditions under which the system switches between them, replicating the strategic complexity that real F1 engineers manage from the pit wall.
The 2026 ERS system interacts with tyre strategy in ways that were not present in previous regulations. A driver on fresh soft tyres with a fully charged battery can produce lap times that are significantly faster than the same driver on worn tyres with a depleted battery. This creates a compound strategic variable: teams must optimise both the tyre compound and the battery state for each phase of the race.
Under Safety Car conditions, the battery charges to near-maximum levels because ERS deployment is not permitted behind the pace car. This full battery at the restart, combined with the fresh tyres that many teams fit under the Safety Car, creates an intense acceleration phase at the restart where the fastest deployment strategy can determine positions in the opening lap.
PITWALL simulates 2026 ERS at segment level. Set Boost, Recharge or Neutral per track sector and build multi-plan switching rules for real strategic depth.