2026 Hybrid Powerunits

[mzso]

How can it be the "pinnacle of technology" when the power unit is heavily prescribed in every aspect of minutiae?

Surely you would have a turbine engine (or would a V-twin or V4 be better?) running at a constant rpm as the most efficient generator possible in open regulations with an energy flow rate and nothing else BUT if I understand correctly Formula One is not allowed to use generator engines only, since Formula E has exclusive rights to pure electric drive?

Surely that will always be a hindrance to F1: that the engine must be connected to the wheels, due to this agreement with Formula E?

Not sure why you're saying this to me. I didn't say it should be heavily prescribed

Not sure what your generator part is a response to. Maybe an earlier comment. It may or may not make sense based on weight. You both need the generator the engine and a separate motor.

The FE agreement thing is little more than an unverified rumor. With no terms revealed, if they even exist. Some even suggested it's a gentleman's agreement...

I propose a turbo ban and doubling of the 1.6L V6 engine to 3.2L V12 for 2031. Accomplishment: fans are entertained!

Which fans? Old people who watched F1 in the seventies? Are there many of them around?

And the fact of the matter is a lot of fans DO associate the wailing high-pitched sound of a Ferrari, Honda or Lamborghini V12 with Formula One, even though it has not been the case for a (very) long time (and we were lucky to get it in the first place, as there is no reason that turbos had to be banned in 1989), so why not lean into that?

I think at this point they're very much in the minority. (albeit very loud and whiny) for me it's a nostalgic sound.

Why not leverage the hype around exotic V12-powered Aston Martins, Gordon Murray Automotives, and Paganis into Formula One cars which are even more exotic.

For one it would be a massive technological retardation, which is very much un-F1.

A consideration lacking from the 2026 regulations (or 2014 regulations) is the notion of combustion engines (antiquated and polluting as they are) being entertainment.

I wouldn't say it's entertainment, it's ambiance at best.
It's amusing how many self-proclaimed "racing purists" and "true F1 fans" call for V10-V12. Even though it adds nothing to actualy racing and is antithetical with F1 to back to something long obsolete, like big and heavy engines.

While some fans have alternate views, many fans are not finding differences of electric deployment of several hundred horsepower leading to cars breezing past each other on straights (even after running off the track onto the wet on the corner exit!) as being entertaining within 2026 regulations.

I don't think anyone wanted this ill-conceived politically designed formula...
But, just you wait. When the FIA twists the formula enough and the teams and manufacturers perfect their PU usage, and we go back to centipede racing, you will miss the time when overtaking was at least possible.

[BassVirolla]

How many of you think the just-concluded 2014 era PU was the perfect blend of ICE power and pseudo-environmentalist battery power ? There was no need to change it. It had the perfect cycle of recovering energy from heat and braking, had enough battery power to have bare minimal braking only recharge for a qualifying lap, and had no problem with race starts. There was no need to change that PU formula.

I really think that these PUs are the pinnacle of motorsport, combustion engine and hybrid technology.

Maybe a good way forward would be to open the battery and MGUH regs to give more power to the MGUK and get the ICE untouched.

[BassVirolla]

Maybe I'm too old school, but a good sounding combustion engine makes me stop and turn my head, be it a two stroke 2 cylinder, a flat 6, a flatplane or crossplane V8 or even a good high revving inline 4.

I don't understand how could you possibly take the sound off from motorsport.

[Ferry]

It's amusing how many self-proclaimed "racing purists" and "true F1 fans" call for V10-V12.

Trading performance for sound is not purism, it's the opposite. Changing a high performing engine for one that sounds different is just fake.

Maybe I'm too old school, but a good sounding combustion engine makes me stop and turn my head, be it a two stroke 2 cylinder, a flat 6, a flatplane or crossplane V8 or even a good high revving inline 4.

I do that too, but

I don't understand how could you possibly take the sound off from motorsport.

The motor is there to motor the car, not to make sound. Sound is just a coincidence. How could you possibly take motoring off from motorsport?

[mzso]

How many of you think the just-concluded 2014 era PU was the perfect blend of ICE power and pseudo-environmentalist battery power ? There was no need to change it. It had the perfect cycle of recovering energy from heat and braking, had enough battery power to have bare minimal braking only recharge for a qualifying lap, and had no problem with race starts. There was no need to change that PU formula.

I really think that these PUs are the pinnacle of motorsport, combustion engine and hybrid technology.

Maybe a good way forward would be to open the battery and MGUH regs to give more power to the MGUK and get the ICE untouched.

Or just specify a fuel, or even better a total energy capacity limit and let them come up with solutions. We already have a cost cap for PU development. At least this would take developments towards human ingenuity rather than brute-forcing and testing everything to oblivion. The results might range from parallel hybrids, to series hybrids, to FCEVs with different advantages and drawbacks.

Though some sort of power out limit would be needed instead of an energy flow limit. Otherwise the ~50% efficiency of the ICE vs the ~90% of the electric motors would make ICE drive pointless.

Also there would be no need to argue which is best. Things would soon gravitate towards the best solution

[mzso]

I don't understand how could you possibly take the sound off from motorsport.

As long as we're highlighting, you would hear the sound of electric motors if you get close enough and pay close attention.

[BassVirolla]

How many of you think the just-concluded 2014 era PU was the perfect blend of ICE power and pseudo-environmentalist battery power ? There was no need to change it. It had the perfect cycle of recovering energy from heat and braking, had enough battery power to have bare minimal braking only recharge for a qualifying lap, and had no problem with race starts. There was no need to change that PU formula.

I really think that these PUs are the pinnacle of motorsport, combustion engine and hybrid technology.

Maybe a good way forward would be to open the battery and MGUH regs to give more power to the MGUK and get the ICE untouched.

Or just specify a fuel, or even better a total energy capacity limit and let them come up with solutions. We already have a cost cap for PU development. At least this would take developments towards human ingenuity rather than brute-forcing and testing everything to oblivion. The results might range from parallel hybrids, to series hybrids, to FCEVs with different advantages and drawbacks.

Though some sort of power out limit would be needed instead of an energy flow limit. Otherwise the ~50% efficiency of the ICE vs the ~90% of the electric motors would make ICE drive pointless.

Also there would be no need to argue which is best. Things would soon gravitate towards the best solution

With cost caps in place, I'm all in to regulate safety concerns, car weight, some overall dimensions (as total energy capacity)... And let them design car and PU.

[BassVirolla]

I don't understand how could you possibly take the sound off from motorsport.

As long as we're highlighting, you would hear the sound of electric motors if you get close enough and pay close attention.

If you pay enough attention, you can listen the electrons flowing in and out of the batteries.

[Tommy Cookers]

.... the ~50% efficiency of the ICE vs the ~90% of the electric motors would make ICE drive pointless......

on planet Earth almost all the electricity is made using heat engines to turn the generators

this means also that on Earth ICEs aren't obsolete

[hollus]

You might find that that particular statistic is no longer true, Tommy. But let’s not fg into politics again!

[mzso]

You might find that that particular statistic is no longer true, Tommy. But let’s not fg into politics again!

Also this is about powering a race car, energy flow limit in particular, not powerplants...

[JordanMugen]

For one it would be a massive technological retardation, which is very much un-F1.

Turbochargers and superchargers were already banned twice in 1961 and 1989, Active Suspension was banned, CVTs were banned, six wheelers were banned, four-wheel-drive was banned, turbine engines were banned... It's not unusual for F1 to regress technology.

[diffuser]

For one it would be a massive technological retardation, which is very much un-F1.

Turbochargers and superchargers were already banned twice in 1961 and 1989, Active Suspension was banned, CVTs were banned, six wheelers were banned, four-wheel-drive was banned, turbine engines were banned... It's not unusual for F1 to regress technology.

We don't have to keep repeating the same mistakes.

[Badger]

I don’t see any mistakes. F1 steering clear of “road relevant” tech has always been a carefully considered choice. Traction control, ABS, active suspension, active aero, four wheel drive, driver aids, turbos etc. When road relevant technology infringes on the sport F1 has abstained from using it, and that has been the right choice. Too much electrification at this time is proving to be another infringement on the driving challenge, hence why they’ve redirected course for 2027 and beyond.

[dren]

You might find that that particular statistic is no longer true, Tommy. But let’s not fg into politics again!

Also this is about powering a race car, energy flow limit in particular, not powerplants...

The car has to carry the energy on board in some form.