Power Unit

The Power Unit is the complete propulsion system used in Formula 1 since 2014. It comprises six elements: the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), the Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic (MGU-K), the Motor Generator Unit - Heat (MGU-H), the Energy Store (ES), the Turbocharger (TC), and the Control Electronics (CE). The ICE is a 1.6L V6 turbocharged engine producing approximately 600-700 HP. The hybrid components add approximately 160 HP, bringing total output to over 1,000 HP. The power unit is the most complex and expensive component in an F1 car — each unit costs approximately $10-15 million. Teams are limited in the number of power unit components they can use per season — exceeding the allocation results in grid penalties.

The current power unit regulations were introduced in 2014, replacing the 2.4L V8 naturally aspirated engines used from 2006 to 2013. The new regulations were designed to make F1 technology more relevant to road car development. Mercedes developed the most effective power unit in the early years, contributing to their dominance. The 2026 regulations will introduce a new power unit with a 50/50 split between ICE and electrical power.