FIA confirms the details of the 2026 power unit regulations
Following the approval of the World Motor Sport Council, Formula One and the FIA have today announced the regulations for the 2026 Formula 1 Power Unit that are set to displace the current regulations.
The long-awaited agreement regarding the F1 power-unit regulations for 2026 was signed off today at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council and will come into effect from the 2026 season. Following regular meetings over the past months, the regulation has been agreed for several weeks but was awaiting final approval.
The FIA have confirmed four key pillars while defining the 2026 power unit regulations. In order to maintain the spectacle, the new power units are set to have similar performance to the current designs, utilising high-power, high-revving V6 internal combustion engines and avoiding excessive performance differentiation.
As part of Formula One’s efforts to promote environmental sustainability, the 2026 Power Unit will include an increase in the deployment of electrical power to up to 50% and utilise a 100% sustainable fuel. The new rules will make the hybrid system of the power units slightly simpler by dropping the complex MGU-H element.
The Financial Regulations regarding the Power Units have been created in order to reduce the overall costs for competitors whilst retaining the cutting-edge technological showcase that is at the core of Formula 1.
Furthermore, the governing body stated that “the regulations are intended to make it possible and attractive for newcomers to join the sport at a competitive level.”
The new regulations are expected to open the door for Volkswagen Group to enter the sport with its Porsche and Audi brands. Porsche is thought to be in the process of buying into Red Bull’s F1 team and develop an engine while Audi has been linked with a takeover of the Sauber outfit that currently races under the Alfa Romeo brand.
These regulations provide certainty for new and current manufacturers and will usher in synthetic sustainable fuels helping @F1 reach net zero by 2030. As our sport grows, we are confident these regulations will build on the excitement our 2022 changes have produced. 2/2
— Mohammed Ben Sulayem (@Ben_Sulayem) August 16, 2022
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “The FIA continues to push forward on innovation and sustainability – across our entire motor sport portfolio – the 2026 Formula 1 Power Unit Regulations are the most high-profile example of that mission.
“The introduction of advanced PU technology along with synthetic sustainable fuels aligns with our objective of delivering benefits for road car users and meeting our objective of net zero carbon by 2030. Formula 1 is currently enjoying immense growth and we are confident these Regulations will build on the excitement our 2022 changes have produced.
“I want to thank all of the FIA management and technical staff involved in this process for their diligence and commitment in working together with all of our Formula 1 stakeholders to deliver this. I also want to thank our WMSC members for their consideration and approval of these regulations,” Sulayem concluded.
