"We could have used it in a better way" - Esteban Ocon's take on F1 2026’s active aero

Esteban Ocon has been underwhelmed by the active aerodynamics featured on 2026 Formula 1 cars.

Active aerodynamics have been introduced in F1’s new-for-2026 technical regulations, featuring mobile front and rear wings aimed at reducing drag on straights.

However, these wings have only two permitted positions: ‘Corner Mode’ and ‘Straight-Line Mode’, meaning they function like the now-discarded DRS – though they are available in specific activation zones regardless of being within one second of the car ahead.

“The active aero, to be honest, I'm a little bit disappointed with that because it's just a DRS with the front,” Ocon said, though the Haas driver later backtracked on his wording of ‘disappointed’: “That’s a bit extreme. Let's say I'm not disappointed, but I think we could have used it in a better way.”

Esteban Ocon, Haas

Photo by: Haas F1 Team

Regardless, he explained: “We are using it all the time. So it's more of an efficiency thing than really something that's giving us much more tools to play with and stuff like that.

“Of course, we have a [few] tweaks that we can do, but I would have preferred like we could set the front flap as we want for every corner. That's what I call active aero.

“Like the Pagani Huayra some years ago, that car had active aero on the front and it was setting it up for whatever corners you were taking and what you are needing in terms of balance. That's what I call active aero, more than a DRS which we have in the front. It's cool, but I think we could use it to another extent than what we are using it now for.”

Asked whether active aerodynamics could be tweaked after potential talks with the FIA, Ocon was skeptical: “No, I don't think that's going to be possible with the tool we have now, because it's either on [or] off. It's not like something that's working a little bit for angles of the flap. It's not that detailed. The tool we have, it's on and off, basically. So I don't think that would be doable.”

F1 drivers will still have a range of tools to play with in F1 2026 with the different ways of harvesting and using the new power units’ expanded electric energy.