At the Pirelli tests in Abu Dhabi, the teams are experimenting with the first active aerodynamics solutions for 2026
The Formula 1 season has just come to a close, but the work for the teams never stops. The post-season tests in Abu Dhabi serve as a crucial testing ground to begin developing the new technical solutions that will come into effect in 2026, when the category will introduce one of the most significant regulatory changes in recent years. The most notable innovation will be the replacement of the traditional DRS with a complex active aerodynamics system affecting both the front and rear wings.
A glimpse of 2026 in Abu Dhabi
The 2026 cars will be equipped with movable elements on both wings, designed to reduce aerodynamic drag on the straights. Unlike the current DRS, which is active only in specific parts of the circuit and under certain race conditions, the new system will allow drivers to adjust the wing angles whenever they are on sections of the track not subject to traction limits.
During the Abu Dhabi tests, the teams had the opportunity to begin experimenting with this new approach. Mercedes, for example, fitted a prototype—still rough but functional—on the mule car driven by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a vehicle specially adapted to simulate next season’s conditions. The system consists of an actuator on the upper elements of the front wing, connected via tubing to a mechanism housed inside the car.
A deliberately simple approach, designed not to test the final solution but to collect preliminary data on the effects of opening the front wing in terms of aerodynamic load, balance, and tire behavior. The FIA allowed teams to use these devices during the tests to also provide Pirelli with useful insights into tire performance under reduced drag conditions.
According to The Race, the mechanism used by Mercedes is not the first of its kind to be tested on track. Ferrari has also developed its own front-wing active system for private tests with Pirelli, likely more refined and less intrusive than the one seen on the Mercedes. The Scuderia’s solution is expected to be used again in the Abu Dhabi tests, highlighting a development program already further advanced than that of other teams.
Photos: Scuderia Ferrari HP, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
