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Esteban Ocon claims that his F1 rivals will need to 'forget everything we've learned since go-karts' as the grid faces a steep adaptation curve in 2026. The new generation of cars promises overhauls in both power units and active aerodynamic components.

Haas became the third team to reveal their 2026 challenger on Monday in London after Red Bull and Racing Bulls' joint launch in Detroit last week. The American squad unveiled a striking white-and-black design featuring TGR branding, despite the motorsport division being split by Toyota during the off-season.

According to Ocon, the new generation of cars will change everything behind the wheel. "It's a very particular way of driving the car," the 29-year-old explained. "There's going to be a lot more management on the engine side and on the hybrid side.

"The car itself felt pretty good. The balance was decent, although of course it was our first taste in the simulator, so we need to see how it is in reality, but the level of grip was good. Clearly, the biggest change is from the engine side, and that's going to be the key for us to be prepared.

"It's an exciting challenge, and it's a different way of driving compared to before. I think we can forget everything that we've learned since go-karts on how to go fast, but it will be interesting to learn a new driving style and hopefully find speed with it."

The new technical regulations promise to shake up the pecking order. For Haas and their midfield rivals, this represents a once-in-a-cycle opportunity to climb the performance index and compete higher up in the Constructors' Championship.

"This is definitely the biggest rule change I've ever faced," Ocon continued. "The first time I drove a Formula 1 car was in the V8 era, then we went to a hybrid system, where I drove one day in Valencia back then and went to Abu Dhabi for FP1.

"It was probably a similar change to what we'll face now, but as I said, we need to forget everything that has happened before. We need to learn everything new again, so I think the experience helps to adapt quickly, but we need to adapt everything.

"All of our senses, how we feel, we'll need to think a lot more while driving about what to do, to go quicker. It's exciting, and it's going to be interesting."