The 2026 power unit regulation "will make the sport exciting," claim team bosses
The following season will see Formula One introduce a new power unit. The new construction is expected to continue to produce over 1,000 bhp (750 kW), although the power will come from different sources.
The following season will see Formula One introduce a new power unit. The new construction is expected to continue to produce over 1,000 bhp (750 kW), although the power will come from different sources.
The new power unit will include a turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 internal combustion engine configuration which will be very similar to what has been used since 2014. However, the power output of the internal combustion part of the power unit will decrease to 540 bhp from 850 bhp.
While the Motor Generator Unit – Heat will be banned, the Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic output will increase to 470 bhp (350 kW) from 160 bhp (120 kW).
In addition, fuel flow rates will be measured and limited based on energy, rather than mass of the fuel itself. The power units will use a fully sustainable fuel being developed by Formula One. The power units are expected to recover twice as much electrical energy as before.
With only nine months away from the 2026 cars running in Barcelona next year, team bosses refuse to answer the question whether the new regulation will produce close racing.
"I can’t tell you the race will be close in nine months or whatever – we don’t even know for tonight and tomorrow," started Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur.
"What is true is that when you are at this stage with a new regulation – and we have to keep in mind it’s probably the biggest change in F1 in the last 25 years – we’ve got huge changes on the engine, on the chassis, and also big changes in the sporting regs.
"It means as a team today, you have to consider all the aspects, and we’re taking directions. I’m sure we’re not all taking the same direction, and we don’t know what the outcome will be in '26. I can’t say the racing will be closer than this year. But I think with the convergence of performance, over the years, we’ve gone from huge gaps to everyone being in six or seven tenths.
"From P1 to P16, it’s a matter of six or seven tenths. For sure we can expect bigger gaps next year, but that’s also the DNA of the sport – to develop, to try catch up. So we can’t complain. We’ll see next year. Let’s stay focused on this season.
Aston Martin's team boss Andy Cowell welcomes the new regulation, claiming that while the close racing might disappear for the beginning of the new cycle, there will be many technical innovations to be excited about.
"I think 2026 is exciting for everybody – advanced sustainable fuels, 350 kW electric propulsion, as well as the engine, different tyres, different aero, drag shedding down the straight. There are lots of exciting elements to that.
"Fred’s right – the field will open up and there’ll be surprises, both positive and negative. But that’s what makes the sport exciting. If we just stay with the same regulations and get closer and closer, yeah OK, all the cars run nose to tail – but it’s great to have new technology, new players, seeing Audi coming in.
"I visited Honda the other week – the development they’re putting into the battery technology, they see that as road-relevant, and I think other manufacturers do too.
"So it’s good that these regs are enticing some manufacturers into the sport, and we’re developing new technologies and ways to run the race cars. I think it’ll be an exciting journey. Plenty to watch, plenty to talk about, and to write about.
Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer suggested that while there might be fears from the new technology, the sport will be able to make the new regulations work.
"Difficult to add something. Perhaps one element – if you look back at the last big regulation change, there was a lot of fear and speculation, but ultimately the teams, Formula 1 and the FIA came together and made it work in an incredible way.
"I think that’s the responsibility we have towards the fans. So I’m looking very much forward to it," concluded the Austrian.
