Method 1 drivers should re-learn the fundamentals as a way to grasp their new vehicles for 2026, says Esteban Ocon.
The sequence has launched its largest guidelines change for greater than a decade. The brand new energy items rely extra closely on electrical vitality and the chassis options entrance and rear adjustable aerodynamics.
Ocon says this can have a major impact on how drivers method racing in 2026.
“It’s a really explicit approach of driving the automotive,” stated Ocon, who sampled Haas’s simulation of its 2026 automotive on the finish of final yr. “There’s going to be much more administration on the engine aspect and on the hybrid aspect.
“The automotive itself felt fairly good. The steadiness was respectable, though in fact it was our first style within the simulator, so we have to see how it’s in actuality, however the degree of grip was good.
“Clearly, the largest change is [on] the engine aspect, and that’s going to be the important thing for us to be ready. It’s an thrilling problem, and it’s a unique approach of driving in comparison with earlier than.
“I believe we will overlook every part that we’ve discovered since go-karts on learn how to go quick, however will probably be fascinating to be taught a brand new driving model and hopefully discover velocity with it.”
This will probably be Ocon’s second season at Haas. He was narrowly out-scored by junior workforce mate Oliver Bearman however stated he made a breakthrough with the automotive on the finish of the yr.
“That final race was purported to be the place we should always have been […] eight, 9, or ten races earlier than,” he stated. “We actually discovered one thing nice within the automotive in that final race, one thing that we should always have discovered earlier.
“It took too lengthy, and sadly, it wasn’t the season that we had been hoping to have, however it’s nice that we managed to complete that approach, because it exhibits we had been able to doing it. We’ll undoubtedly look to hold that into this yr and hopefully begin as we left off.”
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