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In 2026 Formula 1 will retire the familiar DRS system and introduce a new concept called the Manual Override. The FIA promotes it as a fairer way to help cars overtake, giving the following driver extra hybrid energy rather than a movable rear wing. But Fernando Alonso has warned that the new rule could create a “ping-pong effect” where neither driver benefits. How does the system actually work, and why are some engineers nervous about it?
What the Manual Override does
Under current rules, DRS allows a driver within one second of the car ahead to open the rear wing, reducing drag and increasing top speed. In 2026 that flap disappears. Instead, the chasing driver will be allowed to use a burst of additional electrical energy from the hybrid system when within a defined proximity.
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The idea is to replace artificial drag reduction with tactical energy management. Instead of pushing a button for free speed, drivers will need to decide when and where to spend their limited battery charge.
Why Alonso is worried
Alonso believes that without safeguards, the system could make battles less exciting rather than more. “If both drivers deploy at the same time, they cancel each other out,” he said. “Both lose energy, both lose time, and you don’t get real overtakes.”
That risk is greatest on long straights like Interlagos’ run from Turn 3 to 4 or from Turn 12 to 1. If the leader defends by activating at the same moment the pursuer attacks, their top speeds equalise. Both drain their batteries faster and go nowhere. Engineers call this the ping-pong effect: back-and-forth deployment with no reward.
The technical balance
FIA documents show the Manual Override will work in tandem with the 2026 cars’ active aerodynamics, which automatically switch to low-drag mode during energy deployment. The risk arises when both functions are used simultaneously by two cars. Without limits on when energy can be released, the battle can freeze into stalemate while increasing battery temperatures and overall energy consumption.
To prevent that, the FIA is testing guardrails such as minimum battery delta requirements or enforced cooldown phases after each activation. In other words, drivers may only be able to deploy if their energy level differs by a certain percentage, or they may have to wait a few corners before using it again.
The Interlagos test case
Simulations suggest that on Interlagos’ main straight, Manual Override could deliver around 1.2 seconds of advantage between Turns 3 and 4. But if both drivers deploy simultaneously, that advantage drops by half. Both would use about 20 percent of their energy allowance for no net gain.
Teams are therefore pushing for a rule limiting activations per sector or per lap to keep the system strategic rather than chaotic.
Why it still matters
Despite the concerns, many insiders see Manual Override as a step toward more authentic racing. It removes the gimmick of an open wing and replaces it with a more tactical, driver-controlled element. Success will depend not just on straight-line speed, but on energy timing, tyre life and confidence.
Over the next year, the FIA and teams will continue testing the parameters in simulation. If they get the balance right, Formula 1 could enter 2026 with a system that rewards intelligence as much as courage — a new era where overtaking once again feels earned.
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