2018 · TECHNICAL
2018 Technical Regulations
2018 is remembered as the year F1 made cockpit head-protection mandatory: the Halo became required equipment on every car. The regulations also outlawed the shark-fin engine cover and the T-wing decorations that had sprouted in 2017. PU architecture (1.6-litre V6 turbo-hybrid) was unchanged, and the Pirelli compound lineup (Superhard to Hypersoft) gained the Hypersoft as the new softest option.
Halo — mandatory head-protection device
The Halo, a titanium frame arcing over the cockpit to deflect large impacting debris, became mandatory on every F1 car from 2018 onward. Development had run through 2016-2017 comparing Halo with the Aeroscreen and Shield alternatives; Halo was selected on the combination of structural-load-test performance and driver-visibility findings. Added weight was roughly 7 kg.
Key changes
- Halo mandated on all F1 cars.
Shark-fin & T-wing banned
Engine-cover shark-fins (the tall decals-friendly fin running between rear roll-hoop and rear wing) and the T-wings suspended in front of the rear wing were specifically outlawed. The intent was visual simplification without meaningfully altering aero performance.
Power unit — tighter component pool
The per-season component pool tightened vs 2017: widely reported as 3 ICEs, 3 turbos, 3 MGU-Hs, 2 MGU-Ks, 2 ES, 2 CEs per driver per season. Exceeding the allocation triggered grid penalties under the established framework. Oil-burn fuel-flow limits were clarified to close perceived loopholes around oil being introduced to the combustion cycle.
PU pool-size numbers and oil-burn mg/100km limit values should be verified against the published Technical Regulations.
Last updated: 2026-04-24
This summary is editorial material prepared by F1pedia for general F1 audiences. It is not a legal reference. For binding rule text, consult the official FIA document.