How many engines have drivers already used in the 2023 season?
With only eight grands prix completed and a further fourteen rounds to run, several drivers find themselves on the verge of grid penalties for exceeding their power unit allocation. F1Technical’s senior journalist Balázs Szabó takes a look on the current state of the power unit usage.
The current generation of F1 power units features seven different elements: the internal combustion engine (ICE), motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), turbocharger, energy store (ES), control electronics (CE) and exhaust.
Over the course of the 2023 season, a driver may use no more than four ICEs, MGU-Hs, MGU-Ks and turbochargers, two energy stores and control electronics, and eight of each of the four elements that make up a set of exhaust systems.
Following Ferrari’s early season reliability problems with an electrical element in its Formula 1 power unit, Charles Leclerc became the first driver to get a grid penalty in 2023 F1 season.
The Monegasque retired from the season opener in Bahrain while running third, although he already had a precautionary change of control electronics, and the energy store (battery), after qualifying because an issue was noticed during a fire-up on Sunday morning.
Since then, Leclerc has had a few changes, most recently at the Spanish Grand Prix where he finished second to last in the qualifying session which prompted Ferrari to add new elements to his pool. The Monegasque has exceeded his allocation of energy stores and control electronics and has only one single fresh internal engine to use in the remainder of the season. Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has also already exceeded his allocation of ES and CE.
The control electronics and the energy stores have proved to be the most critical elements so far with several drivers finding themselves on the verge of exceeding their allocation, including Carlos Sainz, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant.
Gasly, Norris Albon and Yuki Tsunoda also find themselves on the verge of possible further penalties in terms of internal combustion engines, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K.
Interestingly, Norris has already used five exhaust systems during the opening phase of the season with the Briton having only three new EXs to use for the remainder of the current F1 season.
As for the gearboxes, drivers are also limited in the number of gearbox units for the 2023 F1 season. Restricted-number components are components that make up the gearbox, split between the gearbox case and cassette, and the gearbox driveline, gear change components and auxiliary components.
Drivers can use up to four gearbox cases and cassettes and four gearbox drivelines and auxiliary components. Drivers will earn a grid-drop penalty if they exceed the gearbox allocation. The first time the allocation of either of the components is exceeded, a five-place grid penalty will be dished out, with the same number applying for repeat offences.
Following the opening eight grands prix, gearboxes look set to become a critical part as well as several drivers have already used more than two gearbox units including runaway championship leader Max Verstappen, Leclerc, Ocon, Gasly and Kevin Magnussen.
Overall, Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and Magnussen find themselves in the most comfortable situation regarding their power unit allocation with all of them having plenty of fresh units for the remaining fourteen races.
