What does it want to work in the air tunnel for the big 2026 change? This is detailed by a Spanish F1 engineer

She is Great change in regulation of 2026 This is the biggest headache that teams have Formula 1 So far in its factories. The new concept of chassis, motor and aerodynamics indicates a huge time and investment of money so that everything is perfect for next year. But what is it like working on such a project?

In MD we had the opportunity to chat Laura Porcar.

“I am an engineer Junior aerodynamics in a group called aeroscience and technology, which is a group dedicated to developing tunnel techniques, both commemorating and measuring flowall used in the tunnel. On the track we can do something too, but it’s more focused for the tunnel, “he began to explain.

A whole year for 2026 car

As we all know F1 following F1, teams are starting to build a car for next year. But for regulatory change it is even new ones. We saw this for example with Mercedes in the jump of the hybrid period in 2014. And how was the current car development combined next year?

“Now, on January 1 we started developing 2026, though we were still developing. On January 1, this is when you can start building 26, though it still forms a little to 25, In case you need to clarify a few things to bring a new package of improvements for the race nine or for race 10. But it is still built to try to improve, that is, a little more downforce (aerodynamic load), a little less than dragging (force directly opposed to car movement). But now it’s all 26, it’s all centered on 26. It’s a different change from 25, because as I said before, the car is smaller, the front wing is different, because it has ‘endplate’, it won’t end right in the endplate, but it has some flaps there, some footplates we call it, and I think it will give it a lot …

Laura explained to us that with aerodynamic equipment in the air tunnel in a team such as Alpine More than 100 people can work And about the most violent changes where they focus on two elements.

“Well, firstThe front wing, as I say is different, and the earth. The floor is smaller, you can’t play with him so much. In 2025 you can add more changes to find the tenth you lack, to play a little. This year, this year is all the planes and they do everything they can in front to be the one that carries the flow of air.

What is the greatest difficulty in an air tunnel?

Many readers of this report will know what it is to work with time pressure and the haste of having everything perfect at the minimum possible time. Well, the hardest part of working in an air tunnel is definitely this.

“Let’s see, I believe … The hardest is the times. It prepares the pieces, bring them to the tunnel and that is no problem, that all is well, that you can do all your perfect trials and no problem, because that is the most cost. Then, doing the experiment is easy, you just put the piece, get the data, if you want to use any technique because you use it and that’s it, “Laura said after.