We are still 18 months away from the 2026 F1 season, but the countdown has already began to what is let to be a landmark year in the sport. Teams that season will have to adhere to new power unit regulations, needing to operate them on fully sustainable fuels.
The shake-up has already caused repercussions, with Renault deciding they will no longer supply F1 engines after 2025.
The French automobile manufacturer is currently working with Alpine, who will now have to revert to customer engine status.
The decision to close the power unit programme had reportedly been under evaluation for several months. At the Italian Grand Prix this month, employees launched a protest against the closure.
One man who will already be in place at Aston Martin by 2026 is renowned car designed Adrian Newey. The 65-year-old sent shockwaves through the sport this year when he confirmed he was leaving Red Bull for Aston Martin, starting work at Mike Krack’s team in March 2025.
Newey’s own memories of Renault engines are not particularly fond ones though. He was with Red Bull when the team used them between 2007 and 2018, helping Sebastian Vettel to four consecutive world title wins from 2010 onwards.
However, post-2013 signified a seismic shift in the balance of power, with Mercedes becoming the dominant forced. Indeed, via Lewis Hamilton and one championship for Nico Rosberg, they would enjoy seven years at the top until their reign was controversially ended by Max Verstappen during the 2021 campaign.
And Newey has opened up on a meeting with former Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn that may now explain their decision to end their association. The Englishman was joined by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko in trying to persuade Ghosn to increase his spending efforts.
“Ghosn’s reply was ‘well, I have no interest in Formula 1, I’m only in it because my marketing people say I should be’,” explained Newey, via Race Fans. Instead, it’s Honda who Newey will be reunited with come 2026.
“I’ll be very pleased to stay working with Honda,” he continued. “I’ve really enjoyed working with them over the last six years at Red Bull. They are a great bunch of engineers.”
Further changes to come in 2026 include the maximum wheelbase being reduced by 200mm, and the width has been slimmed down by 100mm. The FIA also say that car downforce has been reduced by 30 per cent and drag by 55 per cent.
