Formula 1 drivers will have to re-learn the basics in order to master their new cars for 2026, says Esteban Ocon.

The series has introduced its biggest rules change for more than a decade. The new power units rely more heavily on electrical energy and the chassis features front and rear adjustable aerodynamics.

Ocon says this will have a significant effect on how drivers approach racing in 2026.

“It’s a very particular way of driving the car,” said Ocon, who sampled Haas’s simulation of its 2026 car at the end of last year. “There’s going to be a lot more management on the engine side and on the hybrid side.

“The car itself felt pretty good. The balance was decent, although of course it was our first taste in the simulator, so we need to see how it is in reality, but the level of grip was good.

“Clearly, the biggest change is [on] the engine side, and that’s going to be the key for us to be prepared. It’s an exciting challenge, and it’s a different way of driving compared to before.

Report: Haas ‘faces bigger challenge than rivals’ as its reveals new 2026 F1 car

“I think we can forget everything that we’ve learned since go-karts on how to go fast, but it will be interesting to learn a new driving style and hopefully find speed with it.”

This will be Ocon’s second season at Haas. He was narrowly out-scored by junior team mate Oliver Bearman but said he made a breakthrough with the car at the end of the year.

“That last race was supposed to be where we should have been […] eight, nine, or ten races before,” he said. “We really found something great in the car in that last race, something that we should have found earlier.

“It took too long, and unfortunately, it wasn’t the season that we were hoping to have, but it’s great that we managed to finish that way, as it shows we were capable of doing it. We’ll definitely look to carry that into this year and hopefully start as we left off.”

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