Pierre Gasly questions 400km/h claim over 2026 F1 cars

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has cast doubt on claims that 2026 Formula 1 cars will be capable of reaching 400km/h.

Earlier this month, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff caused a stir when he suggested that F1 cars would be faster than ever in a straightline following next year’s massive regulations overhaul.

“When the full power is called up, we will scratch the 400 km/h limit,” he told Auto Motor und Sport.

The current top speed record is held by Valtteri Bottas, who clocked 378km/h in a Mercedes-powered Williams F1 car at Baku in 2016.

However, Gasly doesn’t believe that claim has any truth to it, based on his own experience of driving 2026 F1 cars in the simulator.

“I don't believe stories. I only believe what I see,” Gasly told media including Crash.net.

“For sure, we can even go 400 with those cars if you change the gearbox and increase the [length of the] straights. Take off the first chicane in Monza. 

“I don't know. I've tried the car in the simulator and I know what it does. I'm not too sure where that comes from, to be honest, we'll see next year.

“I'm hoping my car goes 400kph.”

The new, more complex hybrid power units are at the centre of F1’s biggest regulatory overhaul in over a decade.

While the MGU-H system will be completely ditched, the rules provide for a more powerful MGU-K, increasing the contribution of electrical power to the overall output to 50%.

This, in turn, will make life harder for drivers, with Williams driver Carlos Sainz stating that 2026 F1 cars will “occupy a lot of brain space”.

Gasly said it is “difficult to quantify” how much lap time drivers can gain from mastering the revamped energy recovery system.

“One thing for sure is that it's gonna be different to what we currently have,” he said. “I think that's one area we just wanna be on top of because we're gonna have a short winter - gonna finish Abu Dhabi and a month later we're already gonna be pretty much on the road to start testing so.  

“It will be important to be ready and be aware of the difference in terms of driving, the approach we will have, whether it's for quali lap or for the races, but exactly with the amount of energy management there will be.

“For sure, we would like to be on top of it and probably on the driver's side or driving style, there might be more differences, not talking like a huge amount, but still if there are any gains that can be taken we personally. I want to make sure that I'll be on top of it.”