Gary Anderson: F1 2026 cars won't look like you - nor the FIA - expect

Aerodynamic testing for the all-new 2026 Formula 1 cars became legal at the start of January, so it's now full steam ahead for all the teams looking at every detail to work out how to produce the most competitive package for next year.

Chances are, the rulemakers will be surprised by what the teams come up with given changes of regulations never lead to the end result that's anticipated.

The rules are so defined and restrictive now - creating various boxes, defining the positions of components relative to each other and what surface shapes you can and cannot use in your design. You have to work this out as a foundation before you can really visualise what you will create. So at first it's about a group of people studying the regulations to fully understand them. This process will have started long ago but now it really will have gained momentum.