Watching an F1 race in the rain is truly a spectacle. With wet weather conditions levelling the playing field, drivers have to show their skills to keep their cars pointing in the right direction. However, there is a problem when the wet stuff hits the track.
Overtaking has been difficult over the last few years in dry weather conditions. However, on a wet track, it is even harder. The overtaking aid, the drag reduction system (DRS), was disabled, meaning that chasing drivers had no advantage over their rivals.
The new regulation cycle starting in 2026 has removed DRS from the cars. It has been replaced by multiple aids to help drivers pass each other. The question is: will this help make wet-weather races more exciting by allowing cars to fight each other?
Will we see more overtakes in wet F1 races?
Over the last few seasons, wet F1 races have mainly seen overtakes when a driver makes a mistake, or there are tyre differentials. An example is when Charles Leclerc outbraked himself at the penultimate corner, gifting his teammate Sebastian Vettel a podium at the 2020 Turkish GP.
DRS was not allowed when the rain struck, but it has been replaced by other tools to help drivers challenge their opponents. However, now in wet races, ↗︎drivers will be able to use 'overtake mode', an aid that gives the chasing driver extra electrical power.
This means, just like in dry conditions, if a driver is one second behind their rival, they will be able to deploy the new aid to fight for position throughout the lap. This should mean that drivers can still fight each other with the wet stuff on the track.
However, there will be a difference when using the 'overtake mode' in the wet and dry. In normal conditions, the tool will give a driver an extra 0.5 megajoules. However, the power curve will be adjusted in changeable conditions.
This is due to safety concerns, as drivers believe spray coming off the back of cars will still limit visibility. With cars arriving at higher speeds, contact or high-speed crashes were a great concern.
What about the other driving aids during a wet F1 race?
There are two other driving aids introduced in the new 2026 F1 regulation cycle. Active aero is much like DRS, where the rear wing can be opened to create drag on straights. However, the new aid also allows drivers to open their front wings too.
The regulations state that when rain hits the asphalt, drivers can partially use the device. The front wing is allowed to be opened to help minimise the risk of the floor hitting the track. However, much like in previous seasons, the rear wing must stay closed.
Boost mode is the other aid introduced in the new regulations. It delivers extra power from the engine. However, when the track becomes wet, this device will be disabled.
There have also been changes to the parc ferme regulations. Usually, once a car has started qualifying, its set-up is locked in and can't be changed. However, if a 'rain hazard' is declared by the FIA between qualifying and the race, teams can change the set-up for the conditions.
