F1 Decoded: Power Units Explained

We decode the heart of a Formula 1 car — the power unit. From the V6 turbo engine to hybrid systems and energy recovery, we explain how modern F1 power delivers incredible performance and efficiency. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome to F1 Decoded, the podcast that breaks down the world of Formula One from the technology behind the cars to the strategies on race day and the rules that shape the sport. We unpack everything that makes F1 tick. Whether you're new to the grid or a longtime fan wanting a clearer view of what's really going on, this is where the sport gets decoded. Today we're looking at all things power units or engines, depending on what area you're from. So sit back and let's get going. Hello everybody. My name's Scott. I'm joined in the virtual studio with Mohan here, uh the two Boxbox Box hosts that you normally listen to. Today we're bringing you our bonus episode in Boxbox Box or our spin-off podcast. We've finally named Mohan, which is F1 decoded until Liberty Media tell us otherwise. So finally we've named it. It's our explainer podcast. We go through your topics that you asked for in F1. Explain them the best way we can to make it as simple as we can. And here we are today talking about power units, which I guess it's formally known as engines. Is that right, Mohan?

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Uh that's correct. The term the terms are interchanged. And given the regulation shift in 2026, this is an aspect that has generated a lot of interest. And this series of episodes continues, now that you've decided how to name it, continues the discussions that we have had. And so we've already discussed the 2026 regulations themselves in a separate episode. We have discussed the floor uh in another episode, and we the last one before this was uh in relation to tyres. And so we felt uh the next largely discussed topic is the power units, and let's commit some time to that.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Yeah, next logical step. So you before we we jump in, certainly if you if you like what we're doing on here and you'd like to listen to us talk about F1 week to week, please go over to our Box Box Box podcast, listen to us there. If you know somebody that might just be interested in these information type podcast episodes, uh then maybe this is the podcast for you uh with F1 decoded. So let's jump straight in, Mohan, to the power units, formerly known as engines. Tell me what components make up a 2026 Formula One power unit and how is it different from the previous hybrid engines?

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Uh so the 2026 uh power unit still centers around a 1.6-liter turbocharged uh V6 uh internal combustion engine or ICE as it is used in some circles. But the overall hybrid system has been simplified compared with the previous generation. The key components within this unit are the ICE, the turbocharger, the MGUK, the motor generator unit K or K for kinetic, the actual energy store, uh, and the control electronics themselves. So the biggest difference between the 2014 to 2015 hybrid era is that the previous MGUH unit has been completely removed. Uh the MGUH was a complex device that recovered energy from the turbochargers exhaust gases and helped to control the turbo speed. So removing it simplifies the power unit quite significantly and reduces costs, which in turn has helped to attract new manufacturers to the sport. And as we can see from this year, Audi and Ford in particular have joined as new manufacturers. At the same time, the NGUK becomes a far more powerful electrical unit as such and plays a much larger role in the overall performance of the car. So while the system itself is technically a lot simpler, it overall has been electrified a lot more.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

So tell me, with that, what is the the split between the the old ice and electric system? And how much total power will these 2026 Formula One cars produce?

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Um so the the move to the MGUK unit means that there'll be a 50-50 split between the ICE and the uh MGUK. Um the new power unit will produce around, I think it's around 1,000 horsepower in total. Uh but um the balance, as you mentioned before, remains quite dramatically different to the previous cars. The ICE itself produces around 400 kilowatts, which is about 530 horsepower. So it was a significant jump in in uh performance. Meanwhile, the actual the MGUK hybrid system can produce up to about 350 kilowatts, which is roughly 470 horsepower. So this is quite a significant shift compared to the previous hybrid uh engines, um, which basically means that half of the car's total output comes from the electricity of a unit as such. And there is a move towards making Formula One more electrified, I said. And there has been discussion around this by the drivers themselves. And I think Max himself had used the terminology that it's uh Formula E on steroids, um, and uh because of the shift that's actually been going to. So what will be interesting to see is how this actually plays out in real life, because this is another part towards FIA moving towards the uh carbon neutral 2030.

SPEAKER_01 5:31

And so why did Formula One decide to remove the MGUH for the 2026 regulations? This was this largely just like relevant, the relevancy to road cars?

SPEAKER_00 5:41

Largely, yes. Um, at the time it was developed, it was considered one of the most advanced and complex components ever used in motorsport. And it's still to this day is considered to be that. So the MGUH itself, the way it actually worked was it actually recovered the heat energy from the turbocharger, and that would just control the speed of the terminate to the turbo and overall eliminate any lag in the car itself. So while it was quite an impressive piece of engineering, it was also very expensive and technically difficult to manufacture, which in turn made it quite a barrier for any new manufacturers to come into the sport. So by removing this unit, the sport sort of significantly simplifies the power unit architecture as such and reduces the development costs. Um as mentioned before, this has potentially also led to teams like Audi and Ford joining the sport. The trade-off here is that the teams lose some of that sophisticated energy recovery and turbo control that the MGA, MGUH unit actually previously had. But FIA is stuck by their beliefs and they think that this will, the new unit will deliver some incredible performance while still making the sport more competitive and more accessible.

SPEAKER_01 6:57

So what role does the turbocharger now play in the 2026 power unit now that the MGU H is gone?

SPEAKER_00 7:04

Um so the turbocharger remains quite a crucial part um in the 2026 power unit. Um, because it mainly because it allows a relatively small 1.6 liter engine to produce very high levels of power. Um so um so it it the turbine, as you know, it sort of drives this compressor and forces um uh how it actually works. Um without the MGUH to control turbo speed, the turbo behaves more like a conventional turbocharge system, which means that the engineers must carefully manage its performance to sort of maintain good throttle response. So, what the teams actually will rely on is that a significant amount of engine mapping data is collected. And also how the drivers deploy that energy is something that is quite strictly monitored and managed as well going forward, so that they sort of have quite clever design solutions to manage the power delivery across the race. So without the MGUH, the turbocharger still remains quite a significant key component within the engine and continues to make it quite a powerful unit.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

And how does the new much more powerful MGUK system work in these 2026 cars?

SPEAKER_00 8:23

Um so this unit now becomes a centerpiece of the hybrid system uh within these cars. Uh so the way this work this unit works, it captures the energy when the car slows down, sort of converting that kinetic energy, and that's where the K comes from, into electricity that's then stored in the battery. That stored energy can be later deployed to the drivetrain to provide additional acceleration. In previous regulations, there was sort of this was played around with at the time, and the NGUK at that time produced about 120 kilowatts of power, but the new version is obviously significantly boosted, and you're talking in the order of 300% boosted to deliver far more performance. So this increase in electrical power means teams will have to manage carefully how they actually use that energy uh throughout a lapse so that they need to give themselves enough time to be able to recharge that battery and perhaps have less opportunities compared to the MGU. You need to recharge that battery. So we we talked about this in um but we discussed it the original regulations as well. And the the new setup for the drivers is a boost and overtake mode, and how they manage each of these modes becomes quite critical so that they don't run the energy out in the battery too prematurely and save it for opportune monuments and how they actually use it. So part of the interest, particularly in Albert Park, with the race one coming up, is how adaptable these drivers have become to using this and whether any of them will actually be left stranded on the track by not fully understanding how to use this.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

I've heard that as well, actually, that the it's gonna be like a high IQ F1 game these days, as far as racecraft is concerned. That was my next question. How will energy recovery and development work during these lap under these new 2026 regulations? Do you have any more you want to add to that?

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Yeah, the energy recovery, I guess, as mentioned before, it largely happens during braking. So when the driver slows down, the unit captures some of the car's kinetic energy, which it turns converts into electrical energy. So later in the lap, when the driver accelerates, that stored energy can be deployed quite quickly. So because the unit itself is a lot more powerful, the amount of energy that is recovered and deployed throughout a lap is significantly higher than what it was before. So this then comes down to drivers actually being able to manage that and picking the part of the track that they would either boost or overtake. Part of the discussion that has been coming into the race one and particularly around the testing in Bahrain has to do with the start actually, and that drivers have to get their cars up to a certain number of ribs, I think something in the order of 12,000, uh, to be able to fire up the turbo enough to actually start on time. So this has not been tested with all 22 cars on the track. There was a cut-down version of it done in Bahrain, um, and I think something about seven or eight cars on the track at the time. And it seemed to work okay. And I think Lewis actually got the best start out of that if I remember some of the vision. But this has actually altered the starting procedure because I think there is a new set of lights that is being introduced to the side of the track that will be a pre-alert to the drivers to start revving their engines before the five main lights come on and go out. And the intent is there that they have enough revs at the lights out to be able to take off straight away. Um, and also um that the cars aren't stalling uh and nor are um the cars at the back having to tailgate the midfield cars, basically, which can be quite a dangerous situation. So again, this is another unknown coming into this season of how this actually will play out in real life. Uh, we have we are yet to see that happen, uh, and we really won't see it till the Sunday, the first Sunday in Melbourne.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

And with the the shift towards the greater electric power in these power units, how would that change race strategy and overtaking?

SPEAKER_00 12:34

So, with the with the electrical paranoid, as mentioned before, contributing nearly half of the car's performance, this management becomes a major strategic factor. So the drivers will have to decide when to deploy that electrical energy to gain a maximum advantage. So, for example, they may choose to deploy the extra electric power when attempting an overtake on a straight or when defending against a rival. Because that energy recovery and deployment are limited by the regulations, the teams actually must also plan on how they actually will harvest that energy throughout a lab to ensure that they have enough energy in the store for when they need to use it. So this now adds an extra layer of strategy to the sport, where previously managing the electrical energy wasn't a huge aspect of the strategy as such, because the generation of the electrical energy wasn't given as much precedence. So this now becomes, in addition to managing the fuel, managing tyres, and managing aerodynamics, managing these electrical power units is an extra layer that has to be considered.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

And what role does sustainable fuels play in the 2026 power units?

SPEAKER_00 13:46

So one of the most important elements, as we know, in the 2026 regulations is the move to 100% sustainable fuels. So these fuels, as we know, are designed to be carbon neutral, which basically means that the amount of carbon that is put out is balanced by uh what is removed from the atmosphere. This can be produced sort of using renewable energy sources and captured without carbon dioxide. The goal here overall is to show that the ICE can still play a role in a sustainable future when it is combined with cleaner fuels. And I think that's FIA's goal overall. Um and and and the expectation is that uh by developing these fuels, that that will actually translate to road cars as well, that these road that road cars will eventually benefit from these and other modes of transport that do use uh fuel as well, yet, particularly in sectors of transport where uh electrification is quite difficult. Still, there is still a part that an ICE has to play in motoring.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

Which manufacturers have built power units for this uh for these new regulations and and why have the new rules attracted more companies than before?

SPEAKER_00 15:03

So uh these new regulations have actually attracted one of the largest groups of uh power unit manufacturers in modern F1 history. So the confirmed suppliers, as we mentioned before, are Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, Audi, Red Bull, and Ford powertrains. One reason so many companies are interested in the new regulations is that the new regulations actually simplify the power unit by removing the MGUH that existed previously. So that greater emphasis on electrical power and sustainable fuels, it's starting to align with the direction of what the overall automotive industry wants to head to, so that there is an overall balance between these two components. As with every other aspect of motoring, Formula One becomes a platform for developing and demonstrating new technologies that could in turn eventually influence how road cars are can um are used. And this is no different, basically. So this is uh one more step towards that direction, while showing the fact that there is a balanced place for both the IC and the electrical unit moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

All right, loaded question here. So, how do these power units influence the car design, cooling, and packaging under the 2026 rags?

SPEAKER_00 16:24

So the power unit uh it plays, it's it's got a massive influence on how the overall car is actually designed. The major components within this unit, which is the actual engine, the turbocharger, the battery, the fooling systems, and any hardware related to the hybrid unit, must actually all fit within a quite tightly packaged space inside the car. So this packaging can actually affect the aerodynamics of the car and in turn the weight distribution and the cooling systems as well. So it's all of these considerations that come into it. So because these hybrid systems generally are known to generate a lot of heat, the efficiency of the cooling systems becomes quite important. So, but at the same time, there is this balance between having all of that, but also then needing to keep the bodywork as aerodynamic as possible. So it's a matter of trying to work out how streamlined these items can be while generating the maximum power available. So, overall, a well-packaged power unit can allow for sort of tight bodywork and better airflow, which has direct translations to performance on the tracker.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

And what are the what are some of the biggest technical challenges teams face when designing the new 2026 power unit?

SPEAKER_00 17:46

I guess one of the biggest challenges is is this case of um balancing performance with efficiency and reliability. And this is not new to the 2026 regulation. This has been uh a name of Formula One cars and car manufacturers through through decades. But the new regulations, I guess, put an extra step into that that has to be considered. So the the intent of the power units is that they actually have are expected to deliver enormous power while also managing the hybrid systems and the quite strict fuel efficiency limits that are placed on these cars. So another challenge is to how they actually integrate this new MGUK system into cars, which also requires quite advanced battery technology and quite sophisticated energy management systems as such. So, teams that means that they have to design engines that work very efficiently with sustainable fuels and are able to deliver similar amounts of power to then compare to non-sustainable fuels. And um, all of this has to be delivered while keeping the power unit compact, lightweight, and reliable over an entire race season. And this is the task that has been assigned to each of these power unit builders.

SPEAKER_01 19:07

Did the 2026 regulations represent the long-term future Formula One, do you think? Of the powertrains. I'm sorry, I mean.

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Yeah, I I think overall they do. And and I guess it's with a view of continuing on this trajectory of high performance powertrains as such. So these new regulations that sort of combining hybrid with sustainable fuels and high efficiency, um, that that are able to still deliver very high performance, but also keeping an eye on environmental concerns that have to be managed and considered. So the strongest manufacturing interest in these regulations indicates that this direction that the regulations are sending the sport into also aligns with where the overall automotive industry wants to head itself without these regulations. So Formula One has always evolved its technology over time and have always been at the forefront of the evolution of technology when it comes to road cars as well. I think this is a this will be the this trajectory will be continued so that in the future there could be new energy systems that are introduced, alternative fuels that are introduced, but while it currently sits at a 50-50 between the IC and the and the hybrid unit, that balance could also be tipped more in favor of the electrical part of the of the power unit as such. That's time will tell. So for now, it it represents the sports overall attempt to balance performance and sustainability, and time will tell how that actually evolves.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

Final words on the 2026 power unit, Moha.

SPEAKER_00 20:49

The first thing is um is feedback from some of the drivers that have been driving it. And I think as most race fans, the first thing they want to hear is how it actually sounds. And we've had various examples of how this sounds, and there is actually talk that there may be a throwback to the old V10 engines, which is any Formula One purist has probably seen that as being the greatest engines ever produced. So there is there is that. But I guess overall it is it is interesting to see that if I at being at the forefront of motorspant and being the forefront of uh encouraging development in motorsport, still feels that there is room for an ICE and not a fully electric car in the in Formula One anyway. The way to balance that is to create more sustainable fuels and maintain that balance moving forward. So that time will tell whether this then brings in more manufacturers, more interest and other technology that actually can improve as we go along. So I think this is a huge leap forward to the sport overall, and I think it's a huge leap forward to uh automotive manufacturing and automotive engineering as such. What everyone Is waiting to see is how this translates to race day. And I think that's what we are really interested in seeing, and how drivers deploy this and who who is able to exploit these regulations the most. So all of these are currently very theoretical, and we've only seen glimpses of it. We wait with anticipation to see how this translates to an actual race.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

All right, Mohan, do you want to throw out our socials for everybody?

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Our website is boxboxbox.net.au, which also then leads you to our social pages at uh Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Please send us your feedback at info at boxboxbox.net.au, positive and negative. We also have our spin-off podcasts. The main episodes are still on the boxboxbox page, but you will also see a racing rewind where we are looking at some historical races and seasons. And now that you've actually named it, the F1 deployed sub podcast, which talks more to the technical aspects of this sport, particularly trying to demystify key aspects of this sport. And as we slowly evolve this podcast, this is where we would love you to uh listen, subscribe, pass it on to your friends, family, and provide us as much feedback as possible.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

F1 decoded, you said deployed. I've um I've fully cooked you with my questions tonight, I think, Mohan. So I was thinking power units. That's right. Yeah, fully in it. All right, thanks, Mohan. Thank you for joining us on F1 Decoded, a boxbox box spin-off podcast. We will be back next week. All going well. Uh, we have the second episode of our tires to discuss and certainly a lot more. Please send in your feedback and suggestions, what you want to hear about, and we'll get straight onto it. So thank you again, Mohan. Thanks for joining us, and we'll see you next time. Thank you.