Section · B 5,400 mm · 768 kg
№ 03

The Car.

Anatomy, active aero, tyres, strategy. How a 2026 Formula 1 car works — what it’s made of and how it’s raced.

§B1

Anatomy of a car.

A 2026 Formula 1 car weighs around 768 kg, including driver. Roughly 1,000 hp combined. Click any number on the diagram to see what it does.

5,400 mm 1,900 mm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
§B2

Active aero.

DRS is gone for 2026. In its place — front and rear wing flaps that open on straights to cut drag, close in corners for grip. Every driver, every lap.

Z-Mode — maximum grip.

Front flap
Closed
Rear flap
Closed
Top speed
~320 km/h
Drag
High
§B3

Five tyres.

Pirelli supplies them all. Softer rubber grips harder but wears out faster. Drivers must use at least two different dry compounds per race — so every race has at least one stop.

Pace
Life
When
§B4

Build a strategy.

A 60-lap race. Pick three stints. Total race time is the sum of all stints plus pit-stop time (22 s each). Less is better. Must use at least two different dry compounds.

Race time
Stops
0
Rule check
§B5

A two-second world.

Twenty mechanics change four wheels in under two seconds. The F1 record is 1.82 s. Click START, then tap each wheel the moment it turns red.

Your time
0.00
Your best
F1 record
1.82
Click START. Then tap each wheel as it turns red.
Ready