F1 2026 regulations: Ted Kravitz explains ‘X Mode’ and ‘Z Mode’ after huge DRS change

Sky F1 reporter Ted Kravitz pictured at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix

Sky F1 pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz has explained the new ‘Z Mode’ and ‘X Mode’ car configurations set to become commonplace when the F1 2026 regulations are introduced.

Ahead of last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, F1’s governing body the FIA released the provisional rule changes – featuring sweeping alterations to the engine and chassis – for the F1 2026 season.

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As well as marking a move to 100 per cent sustainable fuels and producing a 50-50 split in power between the internal combustion engine and the hybrid system, the 2026 campaign will also see F1 embrace active aerodynamics with moveable front and rear wings.

This will see the cars effectively shapeshift over the course of a lap, with a high-downforce configuration (Z Mode) to improve cornering speeds and a low-downforce setup (X Mode) to maximise straight-line performance.

As a result, the current DRS system will no longer be used as an overtaking aid and will be replaced by a ‘Manual Override’ system, a temporary boost in hybrid power likened to the push-to-pass mechanism used in other categories of motor racing.

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Appearing on Sky F1’s coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix, Kravitz explained the thinking behind the changes.

He said: “The 2026 Formula 1 regulations haven’t been published this weekend, because they’re not ready.

“But a press release has been put out by the FIA with all sorts of gizmos and gadgets and slang and jargon that we’re going to have to start calling the cars.

“So when the cars effectively have DRS on the front wing and the rear wing, when the wings fold down, they’re going to be calling it ‘X Mode’.

“It’s full DRS, rear wings and front wings, to make it go quicker in a straight line, to make up for all the energy recovery that the engine is going to have to do.

“And then when the wings close and the DRS is closed, they’re going to call it ‘Z Mode’.

“Now if you’re wondering why they’ve chosen ‘X Mode and ‘Z Mode’, it’s not because they think it sounds cool.

“It’s because the ‘Z’ axis is the vertical axis, so that’s the up and down for downforce. And the ‘X’ axis is the longitudinal, which is quicker in a straight line.”

After a pause, an amused Kravitz added: “Right, OK.

“Do we prefer DRS and not DRS, rather than ‘ Z Mode’ and ‘X Mode’ or ‘Y Mode’? I’ll leave it up to you to work out how you feel about that.”

Appearing in the presentation of the F1 2026 rules, FIA single-seater technical director Jan Monchaux outlined how the Manual Override boost will take the place of DRS.

He explained: “The decision was made a year or so ago – a bit less than a year – to go for what is called a nimble car, so a slightly smaller car, less downforce but with a big focus on less drag.

“The DRS in itself on the rear wing will not be used to allow or facilitate overtaking anymore.

“It will be used by default on every straight by every car to just drop your drag level on the straight, because this comes along with some strong benefits for us and energy consumption but also having a higher top speed allows you to recover more when you are braking on another straight.

“Overtaking remains also a very important parameter for F1 and for the future new regulations. It’s going to be tackled in two manners.

“The first one is continue to have a aero concept for the car which reduces the losses generated by a car which is negatively impacting the following car, because to be able to overtake you need to be close to the car ahead of you.

“And if you can’t follow in a corner because it’s generating so much dirty air that your car gets unstable and you need to pull away, then the moment you are on the straight you need to recover all that loss.

“So it’s very important for us that you can reasonably follow another car in a cornering situation and to do that we need to make sure from the aero concept – the amount of dirty air being generated – is not impacting too much the following car. That’s number one.

“So you enter the straight, a car is fairly close to the other, to help the overtaking – since now both cars will have the rear wing open and front wing flap open – we are going to allow the car behind to deploy more ERS for a given portion of time during that precise lap.

“So right now with the DRS, you are behind the car and within a second it ticks a box and you are allowed to open your DRS on a straight line.

“This will not be the case anymore [but] logic will be the same.

“I’m close enough to another car, I am given an extra amount of energy for one lap, which I can deploy the way I want.

“The extra amount of energy is defined and that will give a boost of energy to eventually give the following car a chance to overtake by the end of the straight.”

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