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F1’s 2026 Rules Reset Rewrites the Race as Teams Grapple With Overtake Mode

The rule reset boosts overtakes by making battery strategy decisive.

Overview

  • Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali defended the battery-based passing aid and said TV audiences in Australia, China and Japan rose by more than 20%.
  • Aston Martin’s compact AMR26, shaped by Adrian Newey, remains hobbled by a Honda power unit that paddock sources say cannot run at full power without failures.
  • Alpine’s 2025 sacrifice and switch to Mercedes engines are paying off, with Pierre Gasly crediting the plan and the team targeting a significant upgrade package for Miami’s sprint weekend.
  • Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur said the team loses out when it falls outside the one‑second detection window for the new passing mode and flagged a straight‑line speed deficit the team plans to study with testing at Monza.
  • Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson said weekends now revolve around how and when to deploy and recharge the battery rather than chasing a perfect car setup.