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

RECHARGE

A vitally important phrase in the 2026 F1 season is 'super clipping', but what actually is it and how does it work?

Owing to the need to constantly harvest and recapture electrical energy into the battery with the new power units, during pre-season testing, some began to experiment with different methods to do this. 

The simplest way to do so is through lift and coast, where a driver lifts off the throttle early into a corner, but a more complex way is 'super clipping.'

This is harvesting at the end of a straight, or in a fast corner, such as Turn 12 in Bahrain, the right-hander up the hill towards the end of the lap, with the car remaining on full throttle.

Owing to the regulations, the recharging of the batteries will largely be automated through the ECU, although selectable by the driver.

If a driver selects a standard recharge mode, then the active aerodynamics and moveable front and rear wings will close shut, returning the car to its high downforce state.

The huge benefit of super clipping is that when activated, the driver can stay on full throttle, and keep the front and rear wings in straight mode, thus producing less drag. 

This is a far more appealing option for the teams, although the batteries can only be recharged to 250kw when super clipping is active, and not the full 350kw capacity of the new systems. 

During Bahrain pre-season testing, McLaren did test super clipping up to 350kw, with the FIA set to analyse the results.