The Race F1 Podcast Tech Show: A racing revolution? Our tech preview to F1 2026
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Feb 26, 2026 
Gary Anderson, former F1 technical director with deep car-design and race-engineering expertise, breaks down the 2026 technical shake-up. He assesses team competitiveness, new power units and harvesting strategies. He debates design changes, aero innovations and the trade-offs around lift wings, turbo sizing and the loss of the MGU-H.
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Energy Regimes Made Performance Invisible
- Energy management changes made much of powertrain performance invisible to viewers, removing obvious visual clues of advantage.
- Gary Anderson said the hidden harvesting/deployment systems mean spectators can't see why one car is quicker than another.
Introduce A Ramped Low Speed Electric Assist
- Allow limited electric assist below 50 km/h and implement a ramped power curve to smooth starts and reduce stall risks.
- Gary recommended a fixed ramp (e.g., incremental power per 10 km/h) rather than a hard cutoff to improve safety and start performance.
Braking Is The Primary Harvesting Source
- When battery energy is depleted the ICE can drive the car solo but harvesting during braking is the main way to recharge, shifting braking balance to the electric motor.
- Gary explained this creates complex brake blending with instant electrical braking on the rear and hydraulic front systems.