The current power units, which entered F1 in 2014, will be used by the queen of motorsport until the end of the 2025 season. Their development will soon be frozen – for the most part this has already happened at the start of the season, and at the end of August the development of the MGU-K will also be frozen. batteries and control electronics. Only changes to improve reliability will be allowed (with the approval of the FIA).
Manufacturers will soon start developing new power units that are based on the current ones.
There are many differences, but two are probably the biggest absence MGU-H – i.e. a motor-generator that uses thermal energy from exhaust gases. We will no longer find MGU-H in the new power units. The MGU-K remains…
Fuel
The second big change is the fuel, which is supposed to be “fully sustainable”. All fuel components must come from sustainable sources – either from non-food bioproducts, from municipal waste, or from wastes that are used in agriculture or carbon capture technologies. This ensures that there is no new fossil carbon in the fuels used in production that would enter the atmosphere when burned in a Formula 1 car engine.
Fuel regulations support any sustainable production method, giving producers a free hand.
Fuel flow to an internal combustion engine will be limited by energy, not mass or volume.
Internal combustion engine (ICE)
The six-cylinder V6 with a volume of 1.6 liters remains at the same rpm but with reduced fuel flow in order to achieve a performance of approx 400 kW (544 hp).
The internal combustion engine will be divided into two parts:
- At the bottom will be the engine block, crankshaft, connecting rods or pumps. The development of this part will be more limited by the rules.
- In the upper part, the combustion engine itself will be the main one, and the development in this area will be freer also because of the arrival of new fuel.
A number of key dimensions will be limited. This applies to the piston, the engine block, the position of the injectors, etc. There will also be restrictions in the area of materials to exclude the use of expensive materials.
The variable intake manifolds and their actuation and control systems will be removed.
Expanding the standardization of components or their structural elements – it is an injector or various sensors (torque, pressure, temperature, etc.).
Some parts (such as the exhaust system) must be designed to last the life of the power unit.
ERS
System performance ERS will increase to 350 kW (476 hp)today it is 120 kW.
The location of key parts of the PJ is more strict in the regulations so that no manufacturer has a long-term advantage or disadvantage. A number of reference volumes were defined in which each PJ element must be located.
Limitations
The rider will have available for the season:
- 3 combustion engines, turbo, exhaust units
- 2 batteries and MGU-K
In the first season (2026), these numbers will be increased by 1 piece.
Cost control
Due to cost constraints (which were huge with current power units) development will be limited. Thus, manufacturers can only use a specified number of test benches – usually 1 to 2 benches for a specific part or perhaps 3 for a test of one cylinder.
The number of hours of testing will also be limited:
- In 2022, it will be 300 hours for the internal combustion engine and 200 hours for the ERS.
- Between 2023 and 2025, there will be a total of 5,400 hours for the internal combustion engine and 3,400 for the ERS.
- In 2026, 700 hours for the internal combustion engine and 500 for the ERS.
- From 2027, 400 hours for each of the two mentioned parts.
Although there are these technical limitations, the manufacturer is also facing a budget ceiling – let’s remind you that the current one does not apply to power units.
It was established for power units a budget cap of $95 million for the “development years” (2022 to 2025) and $130 million annually from 2026.
Similar to the team budget cap, power units also have a list of expenses that do not count towards the budget cap. This concerns, for example, the area of marketing, depreciation, taxes, employee salaries, legal activities, costs of safety and health protection at work.
Of course, the work on current power units and also the production and service of power units for customer teams will not be counted in the budget cap.
