Limited power and movable wings: what are the rules in rain

The first wet race with the new single-seaters could take place in Miami, a scenario that would lead to numerous technical differences compared to normal conditions. In case of rain, the regulation restricts the use of active aerodynamics for safety reasons, increasing the risk of excessive wear of the surface. The performance of the electrical part of the power unit is also reduced, potentially complicating overtaking. Partial active aerodynamics The first big difference in rain is the limitation of active aerodynamics. In the wet, cars can only open the front wing, so as to maintain sufficient stability at the rear. Furthermore, the activation zones are different from those valid for dry conditions. In Miami these correspond to the starting straight and the return straight in the third sector, while the central stretch, with its bends, must be tackled entirely with the wings closed. Inevitably, the partial use of active aerodynamics increases energy consumption and penalizes cars with greater aerodynamic resistance even more. Furthermore, with closed wings the cars release more load on the straight and tend to crush to the ground. The teams will therefore have to be careful not to exceed the maximum wear allowed for the plank under the bottom, which this year has been doubled from 1 to 2 mm. Limited electric The scenario of a wet race also entails a series of restrictions for the use of the electric part. The power and torque of the MGU-K are limited and must follow the delivery curves described in a document provided to the teams, recently modified during the April meetings. Furthermore, race management disables the Boost button, the mode that normally guarantees up to 150 kW of extra electric power. However, the overtaking mode remains available, albeit with a power curve different from that valid in dry conditions.

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News
2026-05-03 18:57:00