F1 chief addresses retirement concerns

F1 News & Gossip

F1 chief addresses retirement concerns

The new regulations have changed a lot of priorities

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Tuesday 27 January 2026 12:48

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Regulation changes are always going to throw up new challenges, both foreseen and unforeseen, but an F1 chief has insisted that at least one challenge has been neutralised.

As has been covered extensively, DRS is out for the 2026 season, and 'active aerodynamics' are in. That means that we're going to see rear and front wings opening up in high speed sections of tracks, which means that front wings are a little more complex than normal.

The opening and closing mechanism is expected to be a hydraulic system, which raised some concerns about how easy they may be to break – and whether a broken and replaced wing would result in near-automatic retirements, with drivers left as sitting ducks without the ability to open their wing on the straights.

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Audi's head of technical development, James Key, has calmed fears on that score, revealing that his team have found a quick way to change the wing without sacrificing performance.

Audi boss calms front wing fears

Explaining the design, he told AMuS: "We've already gained so much experience with hydraulics in the rear wing that it's the logical approach. You want both wings to adjust perfectly synchronously. So, we're likely to see hydraulic systems at the front as well."

Further explaining the likelihood of a hydraulic system, he continued: The adjustment has to happen in a very short time. If you watch the activation in the garage, you can't even perceive the movement itself. The wing is either in one position or the other. It's incredibly fast and also unbelievably loud. Enormous forces are at work."

On the wing change itself, he added: "We have found a solution that allows the wing to be changed during a pit stop. And the mechanism works again afterwards. The hydraulic connection is similar to a quick-release coupling on a garden hose."

Fans got a first chance to see the active aero in action this week at Ferrari's launch event at their Maranello base.

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