2025/2026 Hybrid Powerunit speculation

[michl420]

I am.

You are absolutely correct - thanks Wuzak.
Furthermore, the regulation you quoted makes it crystal clear that harvesting can be initiated by the control system without any additional input from the driver (eg brake pedal).

NO, Energy harvesting by MGU-K IN 2026 will 'not' be initiated by the driver 'not' using the brake pedal. The MGU-K recovers energy from the car's kinetic energy during braking and will be the sole method for energy recovery after the MGU-H is removed. New regulations allow for MGU-K to recover energy during cornering as well, which is a change from previous years, but the primary and most powerful energy recovery method will remain braking.

C5.12.6 The driver maximum power demand must not be reduced at any greater than the rates defined below:
a. 50kW in any 1s period at Competitions where the FIA determines that the power limited distance exceeds 3500m. These Competitions and the vehicle fundamentals used for the calculation of the power limited distance may be found in the document FIA-F1-DOC-Cxxx.
b. 100kW in any 1s period at all other Competitions.
Furthermore, the total power reduction is limited to a maximum of 600kW and the resulting electrical DC power of the ERS-K must remain above −250kW.

This is the regulation, it states quite clearly, that the MGUK power CAN reduced to -250 KW. This is energy harvesting under full trottle. It can not be more clear.
Please stop claiming the opposite.

[Juzh]

Y'all dont understand. There was this one RBP engineer years ago that told us this can't be done, so it must be gospel for eternity.

[wuzak]

I am.

You are absolutely correct - thanks Wuzak.
Furthermore, the regulation you quoted makes it crystal clear that harvesting can be initiated by the control system without any additional input from the driver (eg brake pedal).

NO, Energy harvesting by MGU-K IN 2026 will 'not' be initiated by the driver 'not' using the brake pedal. The MGU-K recovers energy from the car's kinetic energy during braking and will be the sole method for energy recovery after the MGU-H is removed. New regulations allow for MGU-K to recover energy during cornering as well, which is a change from previous years, but the primary and most powerful energy recovery method will remain braking.

What mechanism is used to "recover energy during cornering"?

Could it be the part throttle rules quoted by Grunt apply?

[FW17]

I dont think rules allow harvesting at full throttle.

The car at full throttle with with 450kw ICE power to the wheels travelling with the wings open at over 340kph, suddenly drops to 200kw to the wheels (because as per some posts above) and 250kw to the generator will cause a sudden drop in speed. This is enough for the car behind to slam straight into the back of the car.

The engineers would have made some stupid map that would have shown in sim to generate, top up and deploy at the exit to be faster than defending on the straight, similar to the DRS games Max and Charles were playing in the beginning of 2022 season.

Regen at max throttle is not going to be allowed.

[Badger]

I dont think rules allow harvesting at full throttle.

The car at full throttle with with 450kw ICE power to the wheels travelling with the wings open at over 340kph, suddenly drops to 200kw to the wheels (because as per some posts above) and 250kw to the generator will cause a sudden drop in speed. This is enough for the car behind to slam straight into the back of the car.

The engineers would have made some stupid map that would have shown in sim to generate, top up and deploy at the exit to be faster than defending on the straight, similar to the DRS games Max and Charles were playing in the beginning of 2022 season.

Regen at max throttle is not going to be allowed.

Read the quoted rules at the top of the page maybe.