Active aero should not be treated as “patch” for wider F1 car problems

The 2026 engine rules increase the reliance on the electrified part of the hybrid powertrain – it will produce 50% of total power – while the expensive Motor Generator Unit–Heat has been ditched.

But initial data supplied to teams led to fears of ‘Frankenstein cars’, with Max Verstappen claiming he was downshifting on straights in simulator runs to compensate for massive power drop offs.

As such, F1 is expected to adopt active front and…