The 2026 Components 1 season is gearing up for a radical transformation that won’t solely have an effect on energy items but additionally revolutionize how vehicles brake. New technical laws would require groups and suppliers, together with Brembo, to rethink braking methods to accommodate a totally new stability between inside combustion engines and electrical energy.
Underneath the brand new guidelines, the power stability will shift from the present 80/20 break up to a fair 50/50 between thermal and electrical energy. The MGU-Ok system will see its energy rise from 120 kW (161 hp) to round 350 kW (469 hp), whereas the MGU-H unit will likely be eradicated. This modification will make regenerative braking considerably extra vital, decreasing reliance on conventional hydraulic methods.
Andrea Algeri, Brembo’s Components 1 buyer supervisor, instructed Autosport.com that this is without doubt one of the most complicated regulatory challenges he has ever seen. He defined that in his 15-year profession, he had by no means witnessed such a major rule change, and the mix of elevated energy, energetic aerodynamics, and lighter automobile weights will pressure groups to fully rethink brake methods.
Larger design freedom for groups
The up to date laws present groups with extra design flexibility. Entrance brake discs might vary from 325 to 345 mm in diameter, rear discs from 260 to 280 mm, with a most thickness of 34 mm. Three-point caliper mounts and extra complicated inside configurations can even be permitted, opening new avenues for innovation in braking know-how.
The burden and cooling problem
With the minimal automobile weight dropping to 768 kg regardless of bigger batteries, groups might want to rigorously stability measurement, efficiency, and lightness. In accordance with Algeri, some groups are daring to cut back rear brake sizes to save lots of essential grams, however the FIA will keep minimal limits for security causes.
Cooling methods can even require a rethink. Low-speed circuits corresponding to Monaco or Singapore will grow to be tougher for braking methods, as regenerated power saturates batteries quicker, forcing drivers to rely extra on conventional braking. Brembo anticipates versatile options, corresponding to fewer drilled holes to retain warmth on much less demanding tracks and high-ventilation discs for high-speed circuits like Monza and Spa.
Software program as vital as {hardware}
With the growing weight of power restoration methods, braking in 2026 will likely be as a lot about algorithms and digital technique as it’s about {hardware}. Groups should handle braking torque between mechanical and regenerative methods in actual time, optimizing power restoration whereas sustaining automobile stability beneath braking.
In abstract, the way forward for Components 1 will likely be a battleground the place aerodynamics, electronics, and automobile dynamics converge like by no means earlier than. As Brembo engineers emphasize, mastering the artwork of braking would be the final key to success in 2026.
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