What is super clipping in F1 and how does it work?

A new energy recovery technique called 'super clipping' is emerging as a crucial strategic element for the 2026 Formula 1 season, allowing drivers to recharge their car's battery while staying on full throttle. Unlike the traditional 'lift and coast' method, it enables energy harvesting without sacrificing top speed on straights, though it comes with a key power limitation.

Why it matters:

The 2026 power unit regulations place a massive emphasis on electrical energy recovery and deployment. Mastering the most efficient methods to harvest energy will be a major performance differentiator. Super clipping represents a potential leap in efficiency, allowing teams to regain crucial energy without the significant time loss associated with lifting off the throttle, which could redefine race strategy and overtaking opportunities.

The details:

• The Basic Problem: The new 2026 power units require constant harvesting of electrical energy into the battery. The simplest method is 'lift and coast,' where a driver lifts off the throttle early before a corner.
• The Super Clipping Solution: This more complex method involves harvesting energy at the end of a straight or through a fast corner (like Turn 12 in Bahrain) while the driver remains on full throttle.
• Aerodynamic Advantage: When a standard recharge mode is activated, the car's active aerodynamic elements close, creating a high-drag, high-downforce configuration. With super clipping, the driver can keep the front and rear wings in their low-drag 'straight' mode, significantly reducing drag during the harvest phase.
• The Trade-Off: The major limitation is that super clipping can only recharge the battery at up to 250kw, not the full 350kw capacity of the new Energy Recovery System (ERS).
• ECU Control: Battery recharging will be largely automated through the car's ECU, though drivers will have selectable modes to choose from based on strategy.

What's next:

The technique is already under real-world investigation. During pre-season testing in Bahrain, McLaren experimented with pushing super clipping to its theoretical 350kw limit, with the FIA set to analyze the data from those runs. This testing will inform the final implementation and potential regulation of the technique. If teams can maximize its benefits and mitigate the power cap limitation, super clipping could become a standard, high-stakes tool in every driver's arsenal for the 2026 season and beyond.