F1 2026 Active Aero Explained: Ferrari & Mercedes Tests, X-Mode and Z-Mode

Vito Defonseca
3 Min Read
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 09: Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 drives on track during F1 Testing at Yas Marina Circuit on December 09, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

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F1 2026 We are looking at the initial attempts to correlate data for the massive Active Aerodynamics revolution. While we are used to the current DRS, in two years, everything will change with the introduction of two key concepts: Z-Mode and X-Mode.

Ferrari ala ricostruzione foto credits Media Pirelli
Ferrari ala ricostruzione foto credits Media PirelliBeganovic of Sweden driving the (38) Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 drives on track during F1 Testing at Yas Marina Circuit on December 09, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Liberty Media and the FIA seem to have a clear goal: remove the engineering “perfection” that makes current cars run on rails and reintroduce variability.
If today a “standard” driver can blindly trust the car in high-speed corners, tomorrow they will have to manage a beast that “glides” on straights thanks to X-Mode but requires sensitivity and bravery under braking and corner entry.

F1 2026 Z X Mode
F1 2026 Z X Mode

Z-Mode and X-Mode: How Active Aero Works

The 2026 regulations will eliminate the DRS as we know it today, introducing a much more complex air management system.

  • Z-Mode (Standard/High Downforce): This is the “closed” configuration. Both wings (front and rear) are set to generate maximum downforce. This is the mode drivers will use during cornering and technical sections.
  • X-Mode (Low Drag): This is the “open” configuration for straights. Here lies the revolution: not only will the rear wing open, but the front wing flaps will also move to drastically reduce drag.

A Harder, More Spectacular F1?

Liberty Media and the FIA seem to have a clear goal: remove the engineering “perfection” that makes current cars run on rails and reintroduce variability.
If today a “standard” driver can blindly trust the car in high-speed corners, tomorrow they will have to manage a beast that “glides” on straights thanks to X-Mode but requires sensitivity and bravery under braking and corner entry.

The “monsters” seen in Abu Dhabi look ungainly and preliminary, but they hide the secret to a Formula 1 where the driver might, finally, make the difference again.

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