The director of the Red Bull team, Christian Horner, believes that “it is worth considering” a proposal to change the deployment of energy of the motor trains of Formula 1 of 2026, warning of the excessive Lift and Coast in certain races next year.
Horner’s comments arrived after the recent meeting of the F1 commission, where the teams met the FIA and the FOM last week to help draw the future direction of the championship, with discussions about the best way to navigate some of the perceived problems launched by the new rules of 2026.
when the teams began studying the regulation in their simulators, the concern that, with the greatest dependence on the electrical components, the pilots could not regenerate enough energy in a return arose and would be forced to raise their foot and take by inertia (Lift and Coast) some of the slower curves.
It was believed that this would dissipate with development, but Horner said that a solution had not been found and added that the other manufacturers agreed, although the head of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, had previously declared that any reduction in energy deployment would be “a joke.”
Therefore, the FIA has presented a suggestion to modify the deployment of energy, considering a lower power band for the races or a more progressive increase in the energy available in acceleration to ensure that the batteries are not emptied too soon.
“You have to put the current regulation in order,” Horner told Sky Saturday in Miami. “And what the FIA has put on the table, I think they have finally taken a good look at these regulations.”
“They are seeing that next year there could be a lot of Lift and Coast during the course of a Grand Prix, and that will go crazy to the pilots.”
Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing
Foto: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
“Obviously, the car will have the DRS open at all times, so there will not be the overtaking effect that would be seen. So they presented a proposal in which we would leave all the technical specifications equal, but we would reduce the energy of the battery in the race so that you effectively have an push-to-pass.”
“I think it has merit, and that in the broader panorama of Formula 1, I think it is definitely worth considering. It does not change the specification, it does not change the maximum power of these engines, it is only when it is the deployment.”
The 2026 regulation already establishes that an effective “push-to-pass” system, called “manual overtaking mode”, will act as a substitute for the DRS to allow pilots close to another access to more power, so, presumably, Horner is suggesting that the maximum power level could increase if the total power figures are reduced in the race.
If the situation is not addressed, according to Horner, a “Lift-And-Coasting” would occur, even in classification laps, to ensure that cars have the proper level of power for a longer time.
“A supermayoria is needed* (to change the standards), but I think that sometimes you have to look for the interest of sport. And I think we all believe we have good power units for next year.”
“I think what we want to avoid is that in some races next year Lift and Coast in classification.”
“Having it in such a degree in the race, particularly in certain circuits, will be particularly bad. I think it is worth studying because it will surely be a factor to take into account.”
“And without DRS next year, with very little aerodynamic load on the lines while trying to recharge the batteries, would it be bad to have an push-to-pass?”
“We had these discussions two years ago. In fact, to be fair to the other manufacturers, they agreed that it is too much to recover.”
*A “Supermayoria” for regulatory changes is a majority of 28 votes. The delegates of the F1 and the FIA have 10 votes each, while each team has a vote each.
