Driving The NEW Formula 1 2026 Car. Is it Any Good?

[@Tom97]

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[@highground66]

Tbf ITS A BEAUTY. it looks so damn good as if the v10 and a current f1 car got a baby. Cant wait for these to show up ^^

[@vGalaahh]

Yeah but the downforce is needed, why make the cars much slower in the corners? That's basically the point of f1 cars

[@Ggsuuyt]

@@vGalaahh easier to follow=promotes better racing

[@Blockhead-lc6fr]

​@vGalaahh the 2022 regs lowered downforce as well it wasn't to the same extent, but the intent was to be easier to follow and have better racing

[@xeno07_max20]

@@Blockhead-lc6frYeah but in 2022 the lower downforce wasn't what made racing worse, rather a combination of dirty air and purposing. The pace of a car around a circuit has nothing to do with the level of enjoyment of the racing. (See Gt3, Lemans or MotoGP which are all slower than current F1 cars, but sometimes have more enjoyable racing than F1).

[@vGalaahh]

@Ggsuuyt I know but i don't want to see an f2 car in the corners just for better racing, we'll see

[@godzvnm]

since theres gonna be a turbo lag again with no mgu-h i wonder if any drivers will adopt the way senna drove in the 90s where he would do kicks of throttle mid corner before full acceleration to keep the turbo spining full speed to reduce the turbo lag

[@Aim____Higher]

Probably starting out but obviously the teams will just find a way to decrease the lag

[@Andre_The_Millennial]

Turbo technology has advanced a long way since the 80s. Lag these days is minimal with proper tuning.

[@shadowwsk3507]

I'm pretty sure they gonna find a way around the lag

[@Random63R400]

There's no turbo lag even if they run at 5 bar of pressure, the electric part will be used for low to mid rpms the turbo will have enough time to be at max boost 🤟🏿.

[@MMM-wg2vm]

He did that since karting, it's very little to do with the turbo. It was probably a bonus effect but it had more to do with understanding where the limit of traction was before fully pressing the gas. The cars today are also way more sensitive and react to inputs more drastically.

[@HJDUNSDEN]

People…these cars will be fast do not worry😂 think how far the 22’ cars were off of the 20’ cars…now just 2 years later we’re knocking on the door. Give the teams a few years with the regs and they’ll work their magic ✨

[@Arthur2_right]

No, that's impossible. 30% less downforce, narrower tires which means less grip. Moreover, only 530 bhp Ice, and the electric motor can only 11 seconds flat out which means the car is not always full 1000hp. Predicted 7s++ slower than the current era, although the f1 team can improve the possibility of only cutting 0.3-0.5 seconds per season.

[@cameronmcgillivray3986]

@@Arthur2_rightyou’ll be happy to hear that the aero regs have been revised in many ways since the information your comment is based on came out. The most recent iteration from the FIA indicated significantly more downforce (particularly from floor) than shown previously. Quali pace is expected to be 3 seconds slower than current cars at most according to FIA

[@DungeonFanatics]

Anyone else thought that this car looks like 2018 - 2021 cars from onboard?

[@Wingbar]

same, reminds me of he 2018 merc onboard

[@racinginc]

2018 for sure

[@pawanbhutra9763]

We saw the peak of motorsport engineering in 2020 and then the FIA decided that’s it, now we make the cars consistently slower over the years

[@coconut39]

im pretty sure the 2025 cars will be close to 2020 in terms of speed, but slower cars make for better racing anyways.

[@user-ri9dn4vi6i]

The 2020 cars weren't exactly great for racing

[@isolatedinquarantine9455]

Honestly I’m not mad. I’m gonna trust the process and hope the slower and (relatively) smaller cars provide us better racing

[@Aim____Higher]

@@user-ri9dn4vi6iKeep lying to yourself

[@JosephPetrassi]

They were only good in quali

[@OK-fi4yq]

The "X-Wings" should be controllable by the driver via a switch - Verstappen hit the nail on the head with his response to the regs.

[@j4mes-j4mes]

@@OK-fi4yq i thought it was manual

[@OK-fi4yq]

@@j4mes-j4mes it wasn't initially, may have changed after Verstappen's comments.

[@Phil_3491]

The question is how accurate is this mod of the new car in terms of downforce/speed und ultimately the slower times. From the mods page: "The Formula Hybrid X 2026 is our prototype range designed to provide our own interpretation of the ever-changing 2026 regulations"

[@WombatXBT]

I love the look of the rear wing but the overall look is still a bit fat and round… wish it was sleeker, more aggressive looking but it’s a pleasure to drive. Lovely video Tom.

[@AvaMiller-o1x]

So chill, great atmosphere in this vid!

[@HorizonForty]

Tom97 and Assetto Corsa a perfect combination

[@medvedarci]

Yeah, he should do some league races here.

[@HorizonForty]

@@medvedarci a league with subs would be fun i think

[@nubRas10]

I saw the 2026 yesterday and I thought, will Tom make a video about it? And he did🔥

[@MarcoVerma]

Tom never disappoints

[@owensteele445]

just so happy wheels are free again, looks so much better and like a racing car

[@KimberlyCarter-fe9vh]

I’ve been following you for a while, keep it up!

[@tawongamusic]

Great video Tom and also the future looks bright for the next gen of f1 cars 2026 will be an exciting year for the new development

[@thedrsguy]

this gave me a really perspective of what's coming up . A great video.

[@RalonsoF1]

I think you do a great work, on your videos! i'm enjoying them more then others! Honestly I think, you have become my favourite youtuber concerning simracing! Great stuff, this showcase from you about the 2026 coming F1 car is very very interesting!

[@anteplibela]

great that you tested at istanbul as well, a really good track to measure a car's overall performance

[@MarcoVerma]

Would have love to see the max speed at monza with a low downforce setup😊

[@DungeonFanatics]

Or top speed down the strip in Las Vegas

[@lewis8552]

It's around 232 mph

[@VipapkStudiosOfficial]

The revs will be much higher, so engine sound will be louder too. 2026 will be insane + 11th team!

[@lewis8552]

The car is pretty good and honestly still very quick, and it'll only get quicker. Probably gonna start around that 2016 region of speed and only improve from there Frankly theres not too much to worry about except maybe the energy management. That's probably the only side that has me worried for the racing

[@MOKKEN255]

Damn seeing Istanbul GP made my day! love from Turkey, Istanbul

[@olevareee3742]

from the two people I've watched, they both say the rear is unstable at high speeds. I'm not sure since I'm fairly new to F1, but that makes racing more interesting no?

[@HITMAN21PEARS]

The less downforce will make closer battles but DRS being controlled by the driver like ERS is but I think it's X-Wing system and not ERS and the X wing system

[@lewis8552]

Makes the cars a bit more tricky to drive and probably a bit more raceable. However, also means slower cars which some F1 fans hate the idea of - even if the car remains incredibly quick

[@Zroskei]

I wish someone would make an F1 Career Mode Mod in Asseto Corsa. I'd pay more money for that game than I would an EA Codemasters game.

[@mattces]

F1 drivers gonna be driving in 200kph gokarts in 2040

[@nocturnemusique]

bring on 2026 already!! imagine this thing with the aston livery.

[@PietroCarta]

Hey Tom! Would love to see the comparison with the version with the other engine!

[@beany1987]

You also forgot the reduction in fuel by 30kg, meaning fuel flow and engine power will drop.

[@845_Mk6]

RSS is one of the best if not the best for acc mods pairing it up with one of the best KZbinrs and you got a banger of a video ! Thanks Tom for the video you’re awesome !

[@GeometryEX-hp9zs]

I still doubt the FIA ​​understands how the MGU-K works. Because under current conditions, the discharge behavior of the MGU-K is only good for one lap at most. Then you need more laps to recharge the battery. And removing the MGU-H means that turbo lag is inevitable. It's actually a case of halving the horsepower. Because the teams won't actually start building the 2026 car until next year. I think they still have a lot of technical testing to do. The well-known technical problems will not be avoided. And they removed the DRS zone. This was actually the way it was done before 2008. (The early days of DRS) I still doubt that the active nose can pass the technical test. It is obviously dangerous. And I think the fastest lap time of the car will still be the same as it is now. It can only be maintained at the fastest speed for 1-2 laps over a long distance. Then you need to recharge the battery.

[@WantedVRGT]

the front loos like a 2012 car and the rest looks like f2

[@Wingbar]

I miss the size and racing of the 2010-2013 cars

[@mclarenguy22]

I didn’t like the boxy rear wings though.

[@Celatra]

@@mclarenguy22 they were great i thought

[@moodmusicytc]

The 26' car is gonna reduce that gap from F2 to F1 real bad yikes

[@vyke2107]

no? they even recently (as in in the past month) revised the aero, and it should be a lot closer to the current cars than the previous 2026 regs. F2 won’t be remotely close, we’ll be much quicker than 2014.

[@Apratis]

2014*

[@josemanoel6208]

its still a concept, and what the teams deliver usually goes beyond the initial pace expectations

[@lewis8552]

Lol it really wont. If we take the silverstone hotlap time for example, it's still 10 seconds quicker than F2

[@insansiregar6158]

Should have make It use twin turbo or twin charger to reduce turbo lag

[@Shefinanigans]

The turbo lag is actually there on purpose and it’s the whole reason the mgu-k power was increased basically because the mgu-k has instant torque it will be the main source of power during initial acceleration but as the turbo starts to catch up and the v6 starts to take over the lead in power output the mgu-k will start cutting power and letting the v6 take over the mgu-k actually completely cuts power at a certain speed unless the manual override mode is active which overrides this function at the cost of more energy consumption it’s basically the new drs

[@Amin-dd9mk]

1:25.6 not bad compared to 2005 1:26.8 (qually) and 1:24.77 (race).

[@colinphan5522]

Blown Diffuser and Antilag I'm calling for its return

[@Shefinanigans]

The increased mgu-k power compensates for the lag that’s literally the entire reason it was increased in the first place basically the mgu-k leads the total power output during initial acceleration because it has instant torque (and now also increased power) it will compensate for the turbo lag you naturally get during lower speeds and as the turbo starts catching up and the v6 produces more and more power the mgu-k will start reducing power and letting the v6 take over I literally figured this out by myself the fia aren’t as dumb as people think they are

[@GeometryEX-hp9zs]

@Shefinanigans Did you know that the charging of the MGU-K is not so timely? This cannot even guarantee that the MGU-K maintains discharge behavior for a long time. Because charging is actually slower than discharging. This means that turbo lag is inevitable.

[@Shefinanigans]

@@GeometryEX-hp9zs as I’ve mentioned the engine is deliberately designed to use the mgu-k for most of the initial acceleration and have the v6 take over for the rest to minimize the use of the mgu-k not to mention a more powerful mgu-k means it will regenerate more under braking Also as I mentioned the turbo lag will be there the mgu-k will only compensate for it not fix it this makes the power unit design simpler and more accessible for new engine providers to start making Basically instead of directly fixing the turbo lag they’re working around it the turbo lag also means that during low speed the engine temp will be lower than usual because the combustion isn’t as potent which should hopefully help with reliability

[@GeometryEX-hp9zs]

@Shefinanigans This is like repeating nonsense. Because it actually makes the turbo lag problem worse, and there is no way to really compensate for it. Because it is just a simple charging and discharging component. If you keep the MGU-K in working state all the time. Then the life of the MGU-K will be greatly reduced. I don't think it will even last a race. And when charging, the whole car is only powered by the V6 engine. Although there is a turbo, the acceleration ability will be delayed. And the current MGU-K is not guaranteed to work all the time. Not to mention that you have to keep the battery pack in working state all the time. And the kinetic energy recovery charging performed by the car in motion is a slow process. The charging and discharging states are not interchangeable. The battery pack can only be charged or discharged. It cannot be charged during the discharge process.

[@Shefinanigans]

@ as I’ve mentioned the mgu-k is not discharging at full force all the time it only does it when the turbo is lagging aka when the car needs as much acceleration as possible which is something electric motors are really fucking good at because of their instant torque the mgu-k compensates when it needs to which are periods that will be made even shorter than they are now because as I’ve mentioned electric motors are stupidly good at accelerating just because the logic doesn’t add up for you doesn’t mean you are smarter than professional engineers that literally have this as their job I’m not an engineer but I do understand their concepts because I actually know how these things work Also something that I just now realized is because the cars will reach higher speeds on the straights that means that there is more energy to recover under braking

[@morrisreigns]

I feel like I’ve been watching an F1 Academy car 😩🤦🏾‍♂️

[@Shefinanigans]

That’s just an f4 car and also no these cars are way faster stop crying about them being 1 second slower per lap than the current cars (These regulations were originally 4-3 seconds off current pace but they were changed recently and are now around 1 second off)

[@markjosephbusuttil]

no they arent, they are similar to mid 2000s era cars

[@morrisreigns]

@@markjosephbusuttil so I’ve heard, but we’ll see in 2026

[@MrBboyflexibi]

The only issue I have is the engine, I hope it sounds good and is not too slow

[@oxinus-h3d]

@@MrBboyflexibi in theory without the mguh they should be louder

[@luckymkhonto9092]

Love your vids man

[@theconqueror030]

Where can I get your HUD? That's spectacular!!!

[@TSATM]

how do you set the track to maximum grip

[@takekbpls_7437]

Could you try it at Monaco

[@matijacar694]

Amaizing video🎉

[@sydneycochrane95]

Not going to lie it sounds like a vacuum cleaner

[@Blockhead-lc6fr]

tbf their only indication of how this engine will sound are basically blueprints

[@willbb]

Aren't these cars meant to have 6 gears?

[@geert574]

imagine how slidey the videogame is gonna be 😂

[@Maartwo]

Absolutely beautiful work from RSS once again. Too bad the hypocrites that make the regulatoons didn't bring at least the V8s back. There's no excuse for hybrid V8s to be a thing.

[@inspiredglue2056]

Climate change. To stay alive, the sport has to move and stick to hybrids in order to continue the racing we love while keeping our environment healthy and safe! Same reason why they’re making the calendar more regional. Overall great changes for the sustainability of the sport.

[@weallfollowmanutd]

50kg is not enough. Still a tank

[@Shefinanigans]

I’m not complaining it’s still better than nothing

[@TSATM]

and yeah these new cars might be a big improvment in some ways and the flat out corners are just awfull with these cars

[@chezza7316]

I’m the first so I’m the goat

[@troll_486]

frist