Formula 1 drivers will not utilise active aero during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. The FIA has decided that there will be no straight mode zones.
The cars feature active front and rear wings as a means of reducing drag on the straights, as part of the 2026 rules package. Drivers switch their wings to run flat in FIA designated straight modes, with the flaps then reverting to a normal raised stance in corners for maximum downforce.
No Straight Modes in Monaco
Despite some locations appearing suitable for opening the wings, the first track map for the Monaco Grand Prix has revealed there will be no straight mode zones featured at all.
Previously, DRS – which opened the rear wing flap – was allowed on the short start-finish straight. The FIA decision is reportedly because the circuit doesn’t have areas that fit the criteria applied at all tracks.
The governing body’s stance is that straight modes should only be in places where the cars are not operating at the limit of tyre grip.
Safety Concerns Over Active Aero Use
Monaco features areas where traction and braking are critical, significantly influencing the straight mode decision. There is a minimum duration element where the FIA has decided that each zone needs to last more than three seconds.
This helps avoid short burst uses of it that can unnecessarily add to driver workload without bringing any benefit in terms of performance or fuel efficiency. It is also essential that any straight mode chosen can remain safe in all conditions – which means not only on low-fuel qualifying laps but also at the end of race stints when tyre performance has dropped off. The priority here is the safe running of the cars.
- Straight mode zones need to last more than three seconds.
- Straight mode zones must be safe in all conditions.
The impact of the top speed boost from straight mode on the approach to following corners also factors into the equation. Straight mode reduces drag by around 20%, boosting top speeds by up to 20km/h, which can have implications if drivers arrive at subsequent turns too quickly.
Straight Mode Intended to Reduce Drag
Safety considerations in not having cars arriving at corners too fast have played a role in the final decision for Monaco, with little to gain from having straight mode in play.
The choice of straight modes differs from how things were with DRS, which was used as an overtaking tool. Straight mode is intended to reduce drag and therefore limit energy consumption to power a car through the air.
This year, F1 relies more on power modes for overtaking, with drivers getting extra energy if they are within a certain range of the car in front.