The 2026 Formula 1 power unit keeps the same basic layout as before, a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 hybrid, but it rebalances where the power comes from and simplifies the hybrid system.
Roughly half the power is now electric
The headline change is the split between combustion and electric power. The engine's share drops to around 400 kW while the electric motor (the MGU-K) roughly triples its output to about 350 kW, giving a near 50/50 balance (it was closer to 80/20). Drivers therefore have far more electrical energy to deploy, and managing it well becomes central to a fast lap.
The MGU-H is gone
The 2026 unit removes the MGU-H, the motor that recovered energy from exhaust heat. It was complex and expensive and never reached road cars, so dropping it makes the engine simpler, lighter and cheaper, which helped attract manufacturers such as Audi and Red Bull Ford Powertrains. One side effect is a little more turbo lag for drivers to manage.
100% sustainable fuel
Every car runs on 100% sustainable fuel made from non-fossil sources such as carbon capture, waste and non-food biomass. The fuel is also limited by its energy content rather than by mass, which pushes teams toward efficiency. The same fuel type was trialled in Formula 2 and Formula 3 during 2025.
Why it matters for the racing
Because so much more of the lap now depends on stored electrical energy, a 2026 car has to balance deploying its battery for speed against saving enough to attack or defend. That energy game, rather than a single fixed power figure, is the defining feature of the new engines.
See also what's new in F1 for 2026.