23/08/2025 14:40
Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff believes the 2026 cars could
reach speeds of up to 400 km/h next year. The rule book is in for a
significant overhaul with dramatic changes hitting the power units
and chassis regulations. The electric output of the power unit is
set for a major boost next year compared to the current iteration
and will be on par with the combustion engine. Straight line speed
will also be boosted by the active aerodynamics systems, which will
see the wings shift on the straight to reduce drag. With the cars
being put through their paces in the simulators, Wolff is expecting
the F1 top speed record to be broken next year. "When full power is
deployed, we'll be approaching the 400 km/h limit," Wolff told Auto
Motor und Sport . Felipe Drugovich, who works as a development
driver at Aston Martin, delivered further insight into how the car
is behaving. "The car pushes like crazy out of the corners," he
said. "You feel like you're sitting on a rocket." A number of F1
drivers have taken aim at the cars for next year, predicting they
will not be enjoyable to drive. It has also raised questions over
how exciting the racing will be to watch if the drivers are forced
to coast at the end of straights. Wolff, however, is not being
drawn into criticism at such an early stage. "How can you criticise
something that hasn't even been fully developed yet?" the Austrian
asked.
