Acceleration of new 2026 F1 cars STUNS drivers

Drivers report new 2026 F1 cars are capable of brutal acceleration in ideal conditions. However, racing will be about energy management …

Feb 9, 2026 - 16:00
18215
Acceleration of new 2026 F1 cars STUNS drivers

Feedback on the new 2026 F1 cars after the Barcelona pre-season shakedown has been largely positive. With teams and drivers heading to Bahrain this week for the first official test of the new 2026 F1 cars, the mood from many drivers is unusually optimistic.

Formula 1 drivers say the most startling aspect of the new 2026 cars so far is the sheer brutality of their acceleration. Some have even described is as unlike anything previously seen in the pinnacle of motorsport.

FIRST LOOK AT 2026 F1 CARS

2026 F1 cars
Wave goodbye to the lardy, hard-riding F1 cars of the previous formula. Image: File

Haas F1 driver Esteban Ocon was outspoken after shakedown running in Barcelona. “What really surprised me was how quickly speed builds on the straight. I never would have thought I could reach 355 km/h so quickly. It’s something I’ve never felt in Formula 1, said the Frenchman.

Ocon recalled a lap with full energy deployment that produced eye-watering performance. “We tried full deployment on the straight and I reached 355 km/h well before the first corner in Barcelona. That means the braking was completely different. And way the speed increases is truly insane. The 2026 F1 cars are definitely the fastest-accelerating, highest instantaneous power of all time,” he concluded.

VERY ENJOYABLE TO DRIVE

2026 F1 cars
Some of but not all of the teams ran their 2026 F1 cars in Barcelona in the first shakedown of the new regulations. Image: F1 Net

Likewise, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli echoed the sentiment. But he did acknowledge the limits of energy deployment. “It’s still very enjoyable to drive but obviously it doesn’t last the whole straight,” said the young Italian.

World champion Lando Norris admits the forward G-forces of the 2026 F1 cars were the biggest shock when he first drove. “It feels way more powerful. And you have less grip. However, in third, fourth and fifth gear, if you deploy all the battery and just let it run, you could hit 380 km/h or more,” the Briton said.  

BRUTAL 2026 F1 CARS

Lando Norris
Britain’s Lando Norris won the 2025 F1 Driver’s World Championship by just two points from Max Verstappen. Image: FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP

Moreover, Norris said the physical sensation caught him off guard. “For the neck, it’s not the corners. They’re slow enough for now. But rather the acceleration. The first day, the G forces were a brutal surprise. It felt like a real step up in acceleration from the heavier cars of last year,” Norris concluded – with GMM

But what do you think? Are you looking forward to seeing the 2026 F1 cars out on track soon? Let us know in the comments section below …

This article has been sourced from various publicly available news platforms around the world. All intellectual property rights remain with the original publishers and authors. Unshared News does not claim ownership of the content and provides it solely for informational and educational purposes voluntarily. If you are the rightful owner and believe this content has been used improperly, please contact us for prompt removal or correction.