Forget DRS – 2026 F1 overtaking will be “unpredictable” says Mercedes tech chief Simone Resta. Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta discusses how mobile wings and energy management will transform overtaking.

Looking ahead to 2026

The traditional team principal press conference, usually held on Fridays during race weekends, took an interesting turn in Las Vegas. With the season—and this era of Formula 1—approaching its conclusion, alongside a major technical revolution set for 2026, several technical figures from different teams were invited to speak, including Greek engineer Nikolas Tombazis representing the FIA.

The discussion with journalists naturally focused heavily on what fans can expect to see on track next year, mixing curiosity with cautious anticipation. Among the key speakers was Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta. The Imola-born engineer explained how race dynamics could change next year, emphasizing the crucial role of mobile wings and energy management.

Insights from Resta and Tombazis

“There will be significant differences, especially in races rather than qualifying,” Simone Resta commented. “We are all used to a certain race format, with DRS assisting overtakes in defined zones and at specific gaps. Next year, however, every driver will race with both front and rear mobile wings in many sections of the lap and will use energy to aid overtaking. So I expect it will be different and potentially much more unpredictable how drivers use energy to pass.”

Nikolas Tombazis agreed with Simone Resta’s assessment and anticipates more spectacular battles compared to those seen during this season: “Clearly, with the new rules, we expect that initially there will be slightly larger gaps across the grid,” admitted the FIA engineer. “But from an aerodynamic perspective, we expect the cars to follow each other much more closely than now. The slipstream characteristics have greatly improved, and we believe we learned a lot from the 2022 cars to implement many of these lessons into this year’s aerodynamic regulations.”

“Then, of course, there is what Simone mentioned about shifting from using DRS to energy as a tool to facilitate overtaking,” Nikolas Tombazis concluded. “All of this will change the nature of races and make them more unpredictable. Combined with different aerodynamics, I believe it will make the races even more exciting.”

Put simply: no more waiting for a single DRS zone. Drivers will have on-demand boost and adjustable wings almost everywhere, turning every corner exit and straight into a potential overtaking opportunity – and making 2026 one of the most eagerly anticipated regulation resets in decades.