F1 2026 Regulations: What is the boost button?

There are lots of new regulations sweeping into F1 in 2026, and here at GPFans, we've got you covered if you're a little confused about them!

For the first time since 2014, both aerodynamic car design rules and power unit regulations are undergoing wholesale changes, meaning that a complete shake up of last year's competitive order could take place.

The 2026 power units themselves are remaining a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid but reliance on electrical energy is being tripled, meaning that there is an almost 50-50 split between electrical energy and the internal combustion engine.

This also means that there is a much greater responsibility being put on the drivers themselves to manage their battery capacity, and they will need to be clever about when they use certain modes that are available to them.

'Overtake mode' releases an extra 0.5 megajoules of energy if you are one second behind the car ahead at a certain detection point, but what then is the 'boost mode' that we've been hearing so much about?

Keep reading to find out!

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What is F1 boost mode?

The boost mode presents itself as a button on the drivers' steering wheels which must be so tempting to press at every opportunity.

This button has actually been present for drivers for the last several years, allowing them to activate energy deployment, with it often being saved for an opportunity to defend against a driver trying to overtake.

When engaged, it triggers a change in power unit power settings, either returning to maximum power or a profile which has been configured by the team, allowing the car to utilise its full 450 horsepower.

What's different in 2026, however, is that the energy recovery system (ERS) recovers twice as much charge to the battery per lap, so drivers should be able to utilise this mode more regularly, as long as they are managing their battery capacity well.

Ways of harnessing this energy more quickly include lifting and coasting, braking, when racing on part throttle, as well as 'super clipping', which happens at the end of a straight when the car is at full throttle.

Boost mode can be used at any time throughout the lap, as long as drivers have enough charge left on their battery, and it can be utilised at the same time as overtake mode, in what would be a huge surge of extra energy.

When does the 2026 F1 season start?

The 2026 F1 season gets underway on Friday, March 6, at the Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.

FP1 will mark the first session of the season at 12:30pm local time (1:30am GMT), while qualifying will get underway on Saturday, March 7 at 4pm local time (5am GMT). Lights out for the first grand prix of the year is at 3pm local time (4am GMT).

Before the F1 season kicks off, two lots of three-day tests will take place in Bahrain. The first of which will occur from Wednesday, February 11 until Friday, February 13. The second of the Bahrain tests takes place Wednesday, February 18 until Friday, February 20.

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