The FIA has already begun adjusting the technical regulations of Formula 1 for 2027, with seemingly minor changes that could cause significant alterations in car performance. Even with only 11 rounds contested under the new regulations, teams have already found different ways to exploit loopholes and permitted concepts to recover aerodynamic downforce.
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The rapid evolution of designs, also driven by a better understanding of the new power units, led the entity to intervene to limit the amount of downforce and reduce drag on the straights. The main changes will be concentrated on the floor and the rear wing.
Changes to the floor
One of the main modifications will be made in the area known as tea tray or bib, at the front part of the floor. The leading edge will be moved back by approximately 300 millimeters.
The change will allow cars to be run with a lower front ride height, increasing the rake and significantly altering the aerodynamic behavior of the area.
Adrian Newey, Aston Martin’s designer, explained the impact of the change in an interview published by the team itself.
“On the chassis side, the changes are smaller but still significant. The biggest is in what is usually called the ‘bib’ or ‘tea tray’, at the front of the floor. The leading edge was moved back about 300 millimeters, which allows running the front of the car lower. This brings a different set of aerodynamic characteristics.”
In practice, although the FIA is trying to reduce the cars’ potential to generate downforce, the change opens a new development front for the teams. Designers will be able to explore the new geometry to recover some of the lost performance.
“For us, the main change is the alteration at the front of the floor. It creates a different aerodynamic challenge for everyone,” added Newey.
Another change will be made to the vortex generators located at the floor inlet. The number of allowed elements will drop from five to three, eliminating the two outermost components.
These small elements gained a lot of attention from teams during the first half of 2026. Designs began to present increasingly complex solutions to generate vortices and expand the low-pressure area under the car.
The FIA decided to limit this resource precisely to prevent teams from continuing to gain significant advantages through these micro-aerodynamic solutions.
Rear wing will be smaller
The rear wing will also undergo important changes in 2027. The goal is to reduce both aerodynamic downforce and drag, increasing the cars’ efficiency on the straights.
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According to the new measures established by the FIA, the lower limit of the wing’s reference volume, corresponding to the leading edge of the main profile, will move from 725 to 745 millimeters. The upper limit will remain at 880 millimeters.
As a result, the rear wing height will be reduced, mainly in the main profile area.
The change should decrease the amount of downforce produced by the component but also reduce the area exposed to airflow on the straights. The expected result is a more efficient wing with lower aerodynamic resistance.
Additionally, certain aerodynamic appendages will be banned from the next season. The restriction includes elements installed on the trailing edge of the rear wing, such as the component recently used by Aston Martin at the Hungarian GP.
Devices positioned on the DRS actuator will also be prohibited, solutions that were explored by teams like Red Bull and Williams.
These small elements were mainly used on high-downforce circuits to produce additional downforce gains and organize airflow around the actuator, albeit at the cost of more drag and turbulence.
FIA also eliminates the FTM
Another solution that will cease to exist in 2027 is the so-called FTM system, introduced by Ferrari during testing in Bahrain and later adopted by other teams throughout the season.
The device partially acts on the exhaust gas outlet. Although this may reduce some power unit performance, the system allows directing hot air to specific areas of the car, contributing to downforce generation in conjunction with the rear wing and diffuser.
The solution sparked discussions among teams during the championship and, given the possibility of further development of the concept, the FIA decided to ban it for 2027.
The changes do not represent a complete revolution in the regulations but should create a new scenario for designers. With less freedom in some areas, teams will need to find new ways to recover lost performance — and, as the 2026 season has already shown, small loopholes can turn into significant competitive advantages.
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