Formula 1 drivers need to bring new skillset in 2026

The new 2026 F1 cars will require quite some management with their new power units that will rely more on electric boost, which will be equal to the power delivered by the V6-turbo internal combustion engine.

There will be a need to properly manage the battery and know when to use it to make sure the best lap time is achieved.

Coupled with active aero components on the front and rear wings, F1 drivers will have their hands full in 2026.

Ferrari's former head of driver academy, Jock Clear, is intrigued by the challenges posed by the new regulations.

"I'm more fascinated by how people respond this year," he said. "The tools are in place for people to be able to respond, and the requirements for a different skillset from the driver, or for the driver to be bringing new skills to the cockpit in how he deals with this genre of car.

"There's a lot of questions there, and therefore, I'm quite fascinated to see how that unravels because that's sort of the area that I've always been fascinated in."

When asked which driver he believes will excel in the new era of regulations, Clear stuck to who he knew best.

He said: "I think, off the top of my head, the good drivers are going to still be good. There's no doubt about that.

"But, Ollie Bearman, I think he'll do well next year," he pointed out. "There's a lot of drivers now on the grid who I don't know particularly well.

"I know Oscar Piastri a little bit. I don't know Lando Norris at all. I've been really impressed with Isack Hadjar; I didn't expect that from him, honestly.

"But, overall, I think the new regulations will play to Bearman's strengths," the British engineer maintained.

Aside from Bearman, Charles Leclerc is one of the drivers Clear worked with. Like the Monegasque, who is being tipped to become a future F1 Champion, Bearman has what it takes as well.

Clear said: "It's early days, and I think I said the same of Charles back in 2019, 2018. I don't see any reason why Ollie Bearman won't become a world champion at the moment.

"When you work with some drivers, you very quickly get an idea that they're good, but not a world champion level. I haven't seen anything from Ollie yet that tells me he can't be.

"He's basically met every challenge, and actually, he's done so against the odds. At pretty much every stage, people have said 'he's alright, we'll give him a chance, but he's no Max Verstappen'.

"Ollie had a horrific start to the year in Melbourne and had a lot to learn," Clear recalled. "But by mid-season, he demonstrated how well and how quickly he learns.

"And the good thing is the pace is there. He is damn quick. Esteban Ocon is no slouch, and Ollie has pretty much always been a little nip ahead of Ocon all year.

"Ollie has got the performance, and he's super intelligent, and with those two attributes, I think there's no reason he can't be a future world champion," Clear concluded.

Bearman impressed with his first full-time F1 season. He qualified in the top ten on five occasions. He scored points in nine races, with his best result being at the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, where he finished fourth.