The 2026 season is characterized by the new regulation that provides for a greater contribution from the electrical component.
As the motorsport.com article showed, the driver will tend to gradually increase the pressure on the throttle. Unlike the cars of previous years, where the priority was still the top speed at the end of the straight. But priorities change over time.
PREPARATION LAP COMPARISON
We will focus on turns 14 – 15 and the final straight. The laps examined are not the fastest, but those that had a preparation lap (pl) to compare.
- p.l. Leclerc – SF25 (2025) – 2:22.683 (red)
- p.l Leclerc – SF26 (2026) – 2:05.748 (orange)
- f.l. Leclerc – SF25 (2025) – 1:30.947 (light blue)
- f.l. Leclerc – SF26 (2026) – 1:33.179 (red)
As already stated at the beginning of the article, an important difference between 2026 and 2025 is to increase the pressure on the throttle much more gradually than in previous years.
But why does it happen? The short answer: so as not to drain the battery on the straight. In fact, the battery’s capabilities are not yet at the point of providing the electrical power required by the cars for a long stretch. So you have to manage it intelligently, yes, even on the fast lap.
In the 2026 PL (orange), it takes the driver approximately 288m to reach a 100% throttle percentage. 220m before the finish line. The 2025 PL (blue) takes the driver just 64m to fully press the throttle pedal. 484m before the finish line.
The difference is notable, but this not only allows you to delay the derating phase (lift & coast at the end of the straight). But also to recharge the battery before the main straight.
Leclerc starts accelerating even before the T14, but at the same time continues to have a lower gear than the other laps. This will allow it to increase its RPM (as you can see in the image below) and recharge its battery.
FASTEST LAP COMPARISON
The comparison will take place between the fastest lap of the 2026 and 2025 season tests.
- Leclerc – SF26 (2026) – 1:31.992 (red)
- Leclerc – SF25 (2025) – 1:30.811 (blue)
From the Straight to the First Turn
At first glance we notice a very large difference: the SF26 has a higher peak velocity and is further from the T1 apex than the SF25.
In fact, at a distance of 402m from the first corner, this season’s car reaches a speed of 327 km/h. While the previous year’s single-seater recorded a top speed of 315 km/h just 216m from T1.
The cars in this new technical regulation are able to achieve higher speeds due to a significant reduction in drag. However, the electrical contribution also influences this value.
Therefore, it is important to delay the derating phase, starting from the pl, since that 200m difference is used to recharge the battery, with the lift & coast.
From T14 – T15 to the finish line.
As with the preparation lap, the driver will also begin to accelerate gradually from the T14 on the fastest lap of 2026.
In fact, it takes the Monegasque driver 144m to reach 100% throttle pressure. While it would have taken only 80m in 2025.
The reasons are similar, the goal is always to increase the RPM to recharge the battery, for the “final blow”.
Some values should be taken with a grain of salt since the difference in track temperature is 10°C for 2026. This also applies to wind.
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Photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari
